


Liar's Club

by AuntDoe



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Adoption, Adultery, Bisexuality, Eating Disorders, Extramarital Affairs, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Multiple Partners, Past Child Abuse, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:36:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 26,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28910193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuntDoe/pseuds/AuntDoe
Summary: Aaron hasn't seen his mum since he was fourteen. But she's the best option for him and his son. As he starts to get comfortable in his new life, his old one comes to rear its ugly head.
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Original Male Character(s), Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Comments: 337
Kudos: 267





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes part in the early 2015. Robert and Chrissie just got married. The storyline with Robert and the Whites are still happening. The only difference in this story Aaron doesn't have any relationship with anyone in the village. They are all strangers that he saw a handful of times as a child.

Chas smiled at Paddy as he sat across from her. He was a nice bloke and she had worked for him for a while years ago. They really didn’t have anything in common, so they never really spent any time together. She really liked Paddy and his wife Rhona. They had a few double dates with her and her husband Bradley. She had met Bradley a year ago and they had rushed into marriage. Bradley had wanted children though and she had to break it to him she had one child and that was it for her, she didn’t want anymore. She had failed Aaron, she wouldn’t do that to any other child.

The telephone rang, drawing her attention. Grabbing it, she gave the standard greeting.

“Woolpack. How can I help you?”

There was silence on the other end for a minute then breathing. She almost hung up thinking it was a perv.

“Is Chastity Dingle there?” a young masculine voice asked.

“Speaking.”

“Mum?”

She froze. There was only one person in the world that could call her mum. She hadn’t seen her son since he was fourteen. Aaron had been so angry the last time she had him, she didn’t push Gordon for more visitations. A few years later she decided to try again but when she went to Gordon’s she found out that he had kicked Aaron out for hitting his wife. Sandra left not long after, leaving Gordon was a bitter man. He seemed to want to blame Aaron for everything that had gone wrong. She asked him why he didn’t ring her and tell her that he kicked Aaron out. He said she never cared about him why would she start now. It stung because she did love Aaron, she loved him more than the breath she took. She was never meant to be a mother but that didn’t mean she didn’t love him.

She had Cain put out some feelers, but no one could find her son. He just up and disappeared off the face of the earth. It had been eight years since she had heard her son’s voice.

“Aaron?” she asked, a sob escaping her.

She saw that she now had the attention of most of the bar. Cain was watching with his eyes of a hawk.

“Yeah. How are you?” Aaron asked.

How are you? Like he just saw her last week. She bit her retort back, she wanted him to talk to her not hang up.

“I’m good. I’ve missed you. Where are you?”

“Hotten as of a few minutes ago.”

“Hotten? You’re in Hotten?” He was so close.

“Yeah. I wasn’t sure where to find you, but I remembered the Woolpack. I was hoping someone knew how to reach you.”

“You’re in luck, I own half the place now. Oh, luv, it’s so good to hear your voice.”

“I didn’t mean to ring out of the blue like this, but I have nowhere else to go.”

“Do you need a ride? Cain can go and get you right now.”

“No, I have a car. I just didn’t want to show up and assume anything.”

“You come here as soon as you can. You can’t miss the Woolpack.”

“Alright. Ta.” That was it and the line went dead.

“What was that about, sis?” Cain asked.

“It’s Aaron, he’s coming home.”

* * *

Aaron parked his car behind the pub. He wasn’t sure how this was going to go but he had no choice. His body ached from the healing bruises.

“Daddy, where are we?”

Aaron turned around and looked at his son. Blond with big blue eyes. His eyes always tore at Aaron, reminding him so much of the boy’s mother. He met Izzy when he was sixteen and dumb. Izzy was already pregnant when he met her. She gave him a place to live and a job. He had even convinced himself that he loved her, but she called him on it. She was four years older but had her life much more together than he did. She was the first one to take him to a gay club. She was there for him when he went home with his tail between his legs. She was there the morning he came home from his first time. She was always there for him. Just after his eighteenth birthday they got the worst news possible. She was sick and wasn’t expected to live long.

Monty didn’t have a father, Izzy said that it was a one-night stand that she didn’t even remember. They made the decision to get married so he could adopt Monty. She died just after the adoption was complete. That left him the single father of a baby.

He was able to keep their place and his job was pretty steady. Everything was good until he met Charlie. Charlie was everything he ever wanted in a bloke. Smart, handsome and charming. But Charlie was also everything he never wanted. Controlling, cruel and violent. Aaron was no slouch when it came to fistfights, but Charlie had put a quick stop to Aaron ever trying to fight back again. A broken arm and dislocated jaw fixed him of that. He didn’t think the doctors believed him when he told them he fell off his bike. They didn’t report it, so he just went home, he didn’t have a choice by then.

Charlie had forced him to quit his job and give up his place, moving in with him. That left him with no money to take Monty when it got bad. It all came to a screeching halt a week ago. Charlie had been accusing him of chatting up some bloke at the park he had taken Monty. Usually, Aaron was able to keep quiet as Charlie battered him. He must have been too loud that time because Monty had rushed in and tried to stop Charlie. His sweet little boy was then thrown against the wall.

As he laid at the base of the wall, unmoving, Aaron had moved without thought. He rang 999 and kept whispering to Monty that it was going to be alright. When he looked up again, he saw that Charlie had left. When the police asked him, what happened he was honest. Not for him, but because he had failed his son. He hadn’t protected him like he promised Izzy he would. He had let him get hurt.

But what came next shocked even him. He thought being honest would put Charlie away and he wouldn’t be scared of his own shadow anymore. But Charlie was a silver-tongued devil. He had the police believing that he and Charlie had gotten into an altercation and Monty accidentally got in between them and hurt. No one listened to Aaron or Monty. They just believed Charlie and he was let go with a warning. They said they couldn’t be sure who hit first him or Charlie. It didn’t even bother that there wasn’t a mark on Charlie, and he was covered in bruises.

Once they saw his self-harm cuts it was over. When they started talking about sending out social workers, he knew he needed to leave Leeds. Now he was running and terrified that they were going to take Monty away from him. No one told him he couldn’t leave so maybe it wasn’t running. He didn’t have a place to stay in Leeds anyway, he would never put Monty back in that situation again.

His father wasn’t an option, he wouldn’t put another child within reach of that sick bastard. That only left his mother. While she wasn’t going to be anyone’s mother of the year, she was all he had left. He hadn’t wanted to say too much on the phone because he worried what she would say. He hoped that seeing her grandson would at least soften any anger she had for him disappearing. It’s not like she cared where he was anyway. From the age of eight to sixteen he could count as many times as he saw her on one hand.

“Daddy,” Monty whined.

Aaron shook himself out of his thoughts.

“We’re here to stay with your grandmother.”

“My grandmother? I have a grandmother?”

“Yes, this is my mum.”

“You have a mum?”

He didn’t blame him; he didn’t ever talk about his parents. An absentee mother and a paedophile dad didn’t make for good stories.

“Yes, I haven’t seen her since I was young though. So, it might be a little awkward, but it’ll be alright.”

“Does she know about Charlie?”

“No, not yet. I’ll tell her soon but right now lets just worry about meeting new people.”

Monty was his opposite, while Aaron was quiet and solemn Monty was loud and cheery. Everyone who met him just loved him. Aaron should have guessed something was wrong with Charlie in the beginning, he never seemed to like Monty. He was nice to him and acted kindly until the incident, but he never wanted a relationship with him. Aaron should have ended it there, but he needed Charlie. The only reason he left was because he couldn’t put Monty through that. If it were just him, he wouldn’t have even blinked with the abuse of that night. It wasn’t the worst Charlie had gotten with him.

“Is she going to like me?”

“Everyone likes you. It’s why I take you everywhere. They can’t hate me if I’m your dad, right?”

Monty giggled and unbuckled, wiggling out of his car seat. This was going to be the moment of truth. Seeing his mum again, his family on her side. He had liked his granddad…for the most part. He was the first person he ever saw that he knew was a drunk. But he was nice to him…for the most part. Then there was his Uncle Zak and Aunt Lisa. They were nice to him even when he wasn’t nice to them. Then there was Del, he liked her too but maybe his mum was right that he liked her because his mum didn’t. His mum’s boyfriend Carl was a cheating scumbag who had hurt his mum. Aaron remembered he had broken her by telling her the truth. He wanted to hurt her but didn’t realize how sad she would be. He thought she would get mad and toss Carl, but she tossed him instead.

He shouldn’t have been surprised; he hadn’t been a priority to his mum ever. He was used to being an afterthought. Sometimes that’s why he felt he had gone so head over heels for Charlie. Charlie loved him passionately and possessively. Charlie wanted him so much that he couldn’t handle others even speaking to him. Aaron knew it wasn’t healthy but until the incident he was willing to live that life to be with Charlie.

Monty grabbed his hand, and they made their way for the front door of the pub.

Aaron sucked in a breath and opened the door. Everyone in the pub seemed to stop talking as he walked in. He saw his mum right away. She was behind the bar one moment and the next she was rushing towards him. He usually didn’t like to be touched and his healing bruises added to that but he prepared for the hug. She must have noticed his flinch because she didn’t touch him.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, smiling at him. Her eyes went down to Monty and he knew he needed to introduce him.

“Thanks. This is my son Monty.”

There were hushed murmurs around the pub. His mum looked like she was about to tear up. He didn’t want that.

“Are you my grandmother?” Monty asked politely.

“I’m a bloody grandmother. I’m not old enough to be a grandparent,” she said with horror in her voice.

“Welcome to the club, sis.”

Aaron looked over and saw his Uncle Cain. He only vaguely remembered his uncle; he hadn’t wanted anything to do with him. His dad had told him what a thug Cain was, so maybe he was a decent bloke.

His mum looked back and forth between him and Monty several times before putting on a watery smile. “Do you want to give your gran a hug?” she asked. As she hugged Monty, she looked at Aaron. “I’m going to have to think about what he’s going to call me. I’m too young to be a gran.”

Suddenly everyone started to come up and reintroducing themselves to Aaron or introducing themselves for the first time. Monty was loving the attention, but Aaron was uncomfortable with it. But it didn’t matter, the only one that mattered was Monty. Seeing Monty light up with happiness made him know that he had made the right choice. This was where they were supposed to be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Thank you all for such the amazing comments and kudos.

Robert watched as the whole pub seemed to descend on the newcomers. From listening to Chas before they arrived, he knew it was her son, Aaron. He had met him once, years ago. It had been at Andy’s wedding to Katie so Robert couldn’t remember it that well because he was drunk. He just remembered a gobby little sod. Now he was a fit looking bloke but what Robert noticed the most was Aaron’s discomfort around his own family.

“Have you eaten?” Chas asked the two newcomers.

“We didn’t have money,” the little boy answered.

Aaron seemed to deflate more in front of everyone.

“It’s alright, luv, you’re home now,” Chas said patting Aaron on the shoulder. She led them over to a booth and sat them down. It was right near Robert so now he was able to hear everything.

After Chas went to tell Marlon what to make for her son and grandson Robert got up from his seat and slid into the booth with Aaron. The little boy grinned at him and gave him a little wave. Aaron just glowered.

“I’m Robert,” he said.

“I’m Montgomery Colin Dingle.”

The made Robert pause, he thought he remembered that Aaron had his father’s name.

“I thought your last name was something else.”

“I changed it by deed poll at sixteen.”

“Bit drastic isn’t it?”

“Do you have a reason for sticking your nose into things that don’t concern you?” Aaron asked tersely.

“Just wondering,” he said holding his hands up in surrender.

Chas came back out and eyed Robert suspiciously. He wasn’t known for friends in the village. Chas seemed to not like him due to his ongoing feud with Katie and Andy. She didn’t have time to question him because that’s when her new husband had come into the pub. She rushed over and he knew she was going to bring him back to introduce him to her son and grandson. Robert got back up and retook his seat. Robert was a user and schemer; he knew his like on sight and Bradley Greene was just that.

In fact, when Robert had just moved back to the village Bradley had tried to chat him up a few times. Him being with Chrissie didn’t stop him cheating, no it was Bradley’s age. He was old enough to be his father, that was a hard pass.

* * *

Aaron was sitting in his mum’s front room alone. He had put Monty to bed a few hours ago but couldn’t sleep himself. Every sound he heard he expected Charlie to bust through the door. His mum was with him until a few minutes ago when she had to run to Zak and Lisa’s. Something about their daughter Belle. He remembered her a little bit but not much.

Bradley walked in and Aaron felt the need to go back to the room his mum was letting him stay in. Something about the bloke annoyed him.

“I didn’t think you’d still be up,” Bradley said, sitting next to him on the couch. It was a little too close for Aaron’s comfort.

“I was just about to go up,” he said. Before he could stand, Bradley put his hand on his thigh.

“Don’t be like that, I just want us to be mates for your mum’s sake.”

“Then I suggest you get your hand off me before I break your wrist.”

Bradley slowly ran his hand up and down Aaron’s thigh before removing it. Aaron shot up, ready to batter the man. “Settle down, Aaron,” the man said.

“Wait until I tell my mum and then you’re gone.”

Bradley smiled a lazy smile. “Don’t be like that, tiger. Though, I do like a little fight. Tell your mother what you’d like. Doesn’t mean she’ll believe you.” Bradley stood up next to Aaron. “I always get what I want.”

“Well, I’m not on the menu,” Aaron said before leaving the room. Memories of his father ran through his head. _“Everyone knows what a little liar you are.”_ He just left one bad place for another. But as long as the bad was happening to him and not his son, he could deal. This was for Monty; it was all for him.

The next morning his mum was up bright and earlier.

“He doesn’t eat this much.” His mum had gone overboard and made a full English. He didn’t know she knew how to cook.

“It’s for all of my lads. Brad already ate and is off to do whatever it is he does before work.”

Aaron kept his mouth shut about his new stepfather. Bradley was right, she wouldn’t believe him. He sat down and started to pick at his food; Monty was getting dressed and would be down soon.

“I hope this doesn’t sound like prying but…where is his mum?”

Aaron thought that was rich coming from her. “She died when he was a baby.”

“Oh, that’s awful. That poor lad.”

“She was an amazing woman.”

“You must have really loved her.”

Aaron had a decision to make now. Tell his mum the truth about him or lie. While he wasn’t the best liar, he could hold his own. But he didn’t want Monty to have to lie. There was also all the trouble he had coming out. It was just to himself really, but it was hard. Izzy was his best mate and he missed her. It would be a disservice to her to go back into the closet after all the work she did to help him out of that dark place.

“I did love her but not in a romantic way.”

“Oh?”

“Monty isn’t my biological son. I’ve been there since before he was born and every day after, but we don’t share blood. I married Izzy after she found out she was sick. Because of my age it was the only way I could adopt him.”

“Oh, luv, taking on something like that at such a young age. Especially when it wasn’t your responsibility.”

“You don’t get it. Monty keeps me going. I would have topped myself long ago if it weren’t for him and Izzy.”

“Why? What could be so bad that you would want to do that?” she sobbed.

Monty chose that moment to come into the kitchen.

“I’m a growing lad, I need loads of food,” Monty said patting his stomach and sitting down at the table. His mum brushed away the tears that had spilled and she smiled.

“I can see that. I bet you’re going to be as tall as your dad before you know it.”

Monty smiled and nodded. “I used to want to be as big as Charlie, but I hate him now, so I don’t want that anymore.”

Aaron froze with his hand on his fork. His mum noticed and looked at him oddly.

“Who is Charlie?” she asked.

“Dad’s boyfriend.”

So much for slowly breaking the news to her. She opened her mouth and shut it a few times. “Boyfriend?”

“Ex,” Aaron answered.

“You’re gay?”

“Yeah. That was one of the extenuating circumstances we spoke about earlier. I’ll tell you everything but not now. Let me get adjusted first.”

“Alright, I understand.” She looked like she needed a stiff drink.

When he left that morning, he decided it was the first day of the rest of his life. He needed a job to support Monty. Maybe he would be able to get a place with just them. He didn’t see staying with his mum and her pervy husband a lasting option. So far, he hadn’t had any luck finding a job. Emmerdale wasn’t a big place.

“You going to stand there all day?”

Aaron rolled his eyes. He had only just met Robert Sugden once the night before but that was too much. The man would make a saint turn to mass murder.

“Just considering my options,” he said. He went and sat down at one of the outdoor tables outside the pub. His mum had wanted to spoil her grandson, so she took Monty into Hotten to get toys, clothes and anything else that she wanted. He had to leave most of their stuff at the old flat. All that came with them was things they could fit in the car.

“What options would that be?” Robert asked, sitting down next to him.

“I’m looking for work but there isn’t a huge number of prospects here.”

“I’m looking for an assistant,” Robert said casually.

Aaron narrowed his eyes. “Good on you.”

“Stop being daft, take the job.”

“I don’t have any experience.”

“It doesn’t take more than common sense. It’ll be decent pay and making you be able to get out of the pub sooner. You can’t enjoy being around Bradley. He’s got your mum snowed but he’s con, pure and simple.”

“Worked that out myself. Is this a real offer?”

“Yes. We are sort of family after all.”

Aaron looked at him curiously. “What?”

“Your cousin Deb and my brother Andy have a few kids.”

“Oh. When does this job start?”

“Tomorrow too soon?”

“I should be able to find a minder for Monty by then until I can get him in school.”

“Good.”

“Yeah. Ta,” he said. He didn’t like being indebted to anyone but what was left of his pride was worth getting over for Monty.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 100 kudos. Yay. Hope this doesn't disappoint. I had trouble describing step-parent. Sorry.

Monty had been chatting non-stop for the past hour. He was so excited about them living his Gigi. It was the name his mum and Monty agreed on. Aaron had taken Monty to the café before he had to head up to Home Farm. He didn’t know what to expect with working for Robert Sugden. He didn’t know anything about him more than he’s a prat. He was able to find a childminder, a woman looking for extra work so she could stay home with her toddler.

The day was going well because Bradley had left before Aaron woke up. He wasn’t sure what his stepfather’s job was, but his mum said that he was gone most of the day. That was good news to him.

“Daddy?”

Aaron looked up from his mobile as he checked Charlie’s social media pages. There was two reasons he did this, one to see what Charlie was doing and to stay ahead of him and the other because he did miss him. Charlie wasn’t bad, not really. He just had aggression issues and Aaron couldn’t blame him for that, he had those issues too. He had hit his stepmother when he was cornered and knew his father was going to hurt him again. Charlie shouldn’t be blamed for what he did to him, Aaron did wind him up. But hurting Monty couldn’t be excused. A little boy that wouldn’t hurt anyone. Monty cries if he accidently hurts an insect.

“What?”

“Bye.”

“Huh?”

“Earth to Aaron, I just told you I was taking him back to the pub,” his mum said.

“When did you get here?”

“Really, Aaron, you need to get your head out of the clouds. Come on, darling.” She grabbed Monty’s hand and they were gone. He had been so absorbed in what he was looking at he hadn’t heard. He went back to his mobile and Charlie’s social media page.

There were new pictures of Charlie, he was smiling laughing with his mates. Aaron always hated Charlie’s mates, they thought he was useless. They accused him of using Charlie to support Monty. It didn’t matter to them that when they met Aaron had his own place and was making more than Charlie did. All that mattered to them was that Charlie would complain to them any time he had to ask to get something for Monty. They didn’t care that Charlie was the one that made him quit his job.

A direct message popped up.

**Charlie: I see you’re online.**

Aaron stared at the message and started to panic. He should have hidden his availability. No, he should have just stopped following all of Charlie’s pages. But he couldn’t help it, he still loved him.

**Charlie: Not going to talk to me?**

**Charlie: Stop being so dramatic. We’ve worked things out before.**

**Charlie: I miss you.**

**Charlie: I love you.**

**Charlie: I’m going to let you work this out for yourself. I’ll be waiting when you come back.**

**Charlie: Don’t forget our rules! You’re Mine.**

Aaron quickly blocked him and shut his mobile off. His hands shook as he put it away in his pocket. Charlie’s voice was ringing in his ears. _“Can’t you do anything right?” “I thought I meant something to you but obviously you don’t care.” “Monty would have been taken away from you years ago if it weren’t for me.”_

Standing up, he left the café. He hoped the walk to Home Farm would calm his nerves. Charlie had a way about him, he could live in Aaron’s head without having to be there. There was only one person in the world he talked about his dad, that was Charlie. Charlie had understood and been there for him when he was falling apart. He had been so scared that he was going to follow his father’s footsteps and be a monster. Charlie had kept in steady, make sure he was alright. Sometimes he had to get physical, but they were a physical couple.

* * *

“You’re late,” Robert said as he let Aaron inside.

“Soz.”

“First thing I need you to do is take my dry-cleaning in. I like the cleaner in Robblesfield better than the ones in Hotten. I made a list and sent it to your email. I need all those things done by end of the week.”

“Anything else?” Aaron asked but Robert could hear the annoyance in his voice.

“What? Is the job too much for you?”

“Nah, mate. It’s fine.”

Aaron grabbed Robert’s suits ready for the dry cleaner and stomped out of the door. Robert smiled; he liked this Aaron.

“Robert, are you going to work at all today?” Lawrence asked.

Rolling his eyes, he turned around and headed into the office. He couldn’t wait until Lawrence keeled over. Everything about the older man got to him. He didn’t think he was good enough for Chrissie. He thought he was a gold-digger and a user. That wasn’t true, Robert loved her. He also brought more money into the company in five years than Lawrence had ten years prior.

“I don’t understand why you hired that lad to be your assistant,” Chrissie said.

“Could be worse, could be young woman,” Lawrence said, stirring the pot.

Robert choice to ignore the dig at him. “With my new position I have loads more menial work that needs done. I can have Aaron do that and just work on the important things.”

“I don’t even have an assistant,” Lawrence said.

“You don’t need one, I do all your work,” Robert snapped before leaving the office. He had some errands he needed to do himself.

After he finished some of his errands, he didn’t have anything really to do until later, so he headed over to the pub. As soon as he walked in, he noticed his new assistant sitting at a booth with his little boy beside him.

Robert slid into the booth on the opposite side. “This looks like my new employee is skiving off of work.”

“It looks like I’m having lunch with my son. I dropped off your suits.”

“Are you going to eat with us?” Monty asked.

“Is that an invitation?” he asked.

The little boy nodded eagerly. “Please,” Monty begged.

“Don’t mind if I do.”

When Marlon came over, they all ordered cheeseburgers. Monty giggled at Marlon’s annoyance. 

“Do you have any kids?” Monty asked him.

“That’s rude,” his father chastised.

“It’s alright. I have a stepson but he’s a bit older than you,” he told the little boy.

“What’s a stepson?”

Robert didn’t know how to answer, he had been one a few times, but he didn’t want to overstep.

“It’s when one person already has a baby when they met another person and fall in love. When they get married that baby is the first person’s stepchild.”

“Am I your stepson?”

“No, you’re my son. Remember we talked about it. When I married your mummy, we went to court and I adopted you. That’s makes me your dad and you my son forever.”

“Yeah. I forgot I was a baby then.”

Robert hadn’t known that the little boy was adopted. It made him feel awkward. With Aaron’s age he must have been really young when he had taken that on.

“It’s alright, I’m honest with him about how we became a family,” Aaron said, seeming to have read his distress.

“Charlie was supposed to teach me how to ride a bike,” the lad said sadly.

“I’ll teach you,” Aaron said.

“But you were always falling down and hurting yourself. Remember when you hurt your arm?”

Aaron’s face paled and Robert knew there was a story there but with Monty there he couldn’t pry. The food was brought out and they started to eat. Robert noticed that Aaron didn’t really eat, he just picked at his food. But he wasn’t the only one that noticed. Monty frowned pushed his plate away.

“You’ve barely touched your food,” Aaron said.

“I’m not really hungry.”

“You said you were starving just a moment ago.”

Monty just shrugged and looked down at his plate. After a while Chas came back and took the lad into the back with her.

“He didn’t eat because you weren’t,” Robert said when they were alone again.

“What are you on about?”

“He was fine until he saw you not eating. That’s when he pushed his food away.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, mate.”

“I do. Children watch their parents. When they are small, they copy, it doesn’t matter if it’s healthy or unhealthy.”

“That’s not what happened. Mind your own business.” Aaron got up and went to pay the tab. Robert knew he overstepped but he had learned a lot in his years. He saw firsthand how a parent’s unhealthy traits shaped their children. It was why he couldn’t stand the sight of his brother now.

* * *

Aaron had been working for Robert for a month and was growing suspicious of his new boss. Robert would be unreachable for periods of time and not even Chrissie could reach him. He had given Aaron an excuse to tell her any time she rang him. He wasn’t stupid, he knew that Robert was cheating on his wife. Aaron had bought flowers for Chrissie from Robert; he’d picked her out jewelry and any other sorry Robert could think of. He was a shit husband and Aaron felt bad for his wife. But the money was to set him up and he couldn’t just stop working because he thought it was scummy.

Add that to Robert had been a little distant with him since he found out he was gay. His mum had let it slip while Robert was over to see Diane. She asked him if he was planning on finding a new bloke and Robert was stunned. Aaron had asked her not to tell anyone, it was his business and he wanted to choose when he told people. So of course, everyone knew within a few days. He didn’t know if it was Diane, Victoria, Robert or his mum but everyone in the village knew he preferred blokes now.

His mobile rang and he rolled his eyes when he saw it was Robert. It was almost time for him to get off and he didn’t want to be running a late errand. It was Friday and he was going to be alone all night…he couldn’t wait. His mum and Bradley had gone to Bradley’s parents in Hull for the weekend. Monty was staying the night with his best friend, April. April and Monty were inseparable when they were together. He liked that; he never had a real mate until Izzy.

“I’m off in ten minutes, Robert,” he said tiredly.

“You’re paid to be my assistant, it’s not a nine to five job. I need you to meet me.”

“Fine, text me the address.”

Aaron was tried of this already. When the address came, and it was a hotel he wasn’t even shocked. Robert Sugden was a slim and he pitied anyone that ever fell for his lies.

The hotel was posh, real posh. Robert must have some bird that was more than a quickie in a backseat. He spotted Robert as soon as he walked into the lobby.

“What was so important that I just had to come?” he asked.

“Not here,” Robert said.

Aaron shook his head but followed Robert as he led him up to one of the suites. It was clean so Robert hadn’t had sex in it…yet. Robert shut the door and locked it. Usually, Aaron would get nervous or panicky, but Robert didn’t scare him just annoyed him.

“So, what did you want?”

“You know why you’re here.”

“No idea, mate. I could be home relaxing after running your idiotic errands but instead I’m here.”

“Do you know how hard it was to get you here alone?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, first I had to talk to that weasel of a stepfather of yours. Convince him he should visit his parents with Chas. Then I had to earwig Marlon about how it would be a good idea for them to have Monty over tonight. Knew you wouldn’t stay if they were waiting for you at home.”

Aaron was lost. “Wait? You set this all up? Why?”

“What haven’t I been clear about?” Robert said, leaning down and kissing him.

Aaron’s head was spinning. He pushed Robert away. “Is this why you hired me?” he asked, incensed.

“No, you could walk out of here right now and I’ll never mention it again. Your job isn’t dependent on this, I just thought you wanted me as much as I wanted you.”

Aaron couldn’t say it was a lie. Half of the reason he was so aggravated about Robert was because he was attracted to him. Jealousy about Chrissie and all the other people he was sleeping with ate at him.

“No strings?” Aaron asked, making sure.

“No strings.”

Robert lightly pushed Aaron on the bed and Aaron went more than willingly. All other thoughts had left him. Just this moment right now mattered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robert is Robert so I had to write him as a jerk at some points. So...yeah.

Aaron woke up to see Robert staring at him. Last night was amazing. He had forgotten that sex didn’t have to be degrading.

“Why are you staring at me? It’s creepy.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it. You’re gorgeous,” Robert said, grabbing Aaron’s hand with his hand.

“Stop being daft, I know exactly how I look.”

“Then you know what I am talking about. Do you know when I realized I wanted you?” Aaron just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “It was about a week after I hired you. I rang you at five in the morning and you told me if I ever called you that early again you would castrate me.”

Aaron remembered it. He had just gotten Monty to sleep. His mum had given his son enough sugar for twelve kids and then Sarah told ghost stories. Monty was up all night worried about the Bogeyman who he thought was going to eat his toes. That was a new step in parenting for him.

“Castration is your kink, got it.”

Robert smiled and Aaron found that he like it a lot. It wasn’t the smirk that the man usually wore.

“I think that would be a disservice to the both of us,” Robert said, pulling Aaron into a kiss.

Sadly, they were interrupted by Robert’s mobile and then Aaron’s at almost the same time. Last night he had listened in as Robert gave Chrissie some story about sweet talking some possible client.

Aaron grabbed his mobile as Robert grabbed his own. He took his mobile to the loo, so Chrissie didn’t hear him. Aaron saw it was Marlon.

“Is everything alright?” he asked instead of a greeting.

“Everything’s fine but we couldn’t find you. I need to start work and Diane said you hadn’t come home last night.”

“Soz, I’m on my way now. I’ll ring Zak and see if Monty can stay with him until I get there.” It was funny, before he came to the village the thought of leaving his child with a man scared him. But he remembered when he was little and visited Zak, he felt safe. He wished he always felt that. Marlon was still a little scary for him to leave Monty with, but his wife Laurel was there.

“Don’t worry about it, Vic said she’d watch him until you arrive.”

“Ta, really.”

After he disconnected, he listened into Robert spinning his web of lies. The older man lied so well that if Aaron weren’t currently in a hotel room with him, he would believe he was in Leeds after trying most of the night to get a new client. He had to make sure he never trusted Robert like Chrissie did.

Aaron quietly grabbed his clothes and went to shower and dress. He would have to put on yesterday’s clothes, but he didn’t have an option. Unlike Robert he had no clue he was going to be here before last night.

As he was showering the door opened and Robert came in.

“Mind if I join?” he asked temptingly.

“Are you sure you don’t have to run home?” he asked, annoyed that he had fallen in bed with his boss so easily. 

Under the bright light he felt more hideous than he did last night. He had Robert keep the lights turned down and now everything was visible. He must have been too quiet because Robert stepped in the shower and ran his hand down Aaron’s chest. He wasn’t looking at Aaron’s scars, but he wasn’t avoiding looking at them either. It was like it was just a part of Aaron and that they didn’t matter. Aaron didn’t care if it was the truth or not because at that moment it’s what he needed.

* * *

Robert was working on some documents when Chrissie came into their room. He would have done this in the office, but Lawrence was there, and he didn’t want deal with him.

“Why are you in here?” she asked.

“Your father,” he said simply.

“You know how he is.” She walked around the room for a few moments, seeming to be debating something with herself. Finally, she walked over to the bed where he was seated. “I wanted to discuss something with you.”

“Yes?” he asked, closing his laptop.

“I know we discussed this when we got engaged but I think it’s time to talk about having a baby.”

Robert started to panic but didn’t let it show. He wanted kids in a ‘maybe someday’ kind of way. But this was too much too fast. There had two accidents before with two different women. One was a woman he was casually seeing who told him she was pregnant. He gave her the money for an abortion and told her not to contact him again. A matter of months after that his dad died so he didn’t really dwell on it. The other was Chrissie’s little sister, Rebecca. After she had the termination, she seemed to fall out with him so that was that for a while. Lately they had been in contact because he couldn’t just not see her like he did with Elizabeth.

“Do you think that’s such a good idea right now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Lachlan needs so much of you right now. I think it would set him back if we brought a baby into the house. He is the most important one to think about here,” he said.

Chrissie’s eyes started to tear up. “Do you know what an incredible man you are? Most men would be in a hurry to have their own children. But you genuinely care about my son. I’m so incredibly lucky to have you.” She leaned down and kissed him, he pulled her the rest of the way until she was on top of him. Who knew listening to Aaron go on and on about everything he did being for his kid would help him out?

* * *

Aaron ran through the pub, his heart beating wildly. He couldn’t find Monty and was moments from calling the police.

“What’s the rush?” Cain asked as he almost ran into him.

“Have you seen Monty?” he asked, looking around the pub as he asked.

“Your mum has him.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I saw her drive off a few minutes ago. What’s wrong with it?”

“What’s wrong? She didn’t ask or even tell me.” He was so angry, he was seeing red. She had no right to just take his son without letting him know. He had picked Monty up from the child minder and came home. He told Monty to stay in his room and play until he showered and then they could go eat. But when he got out, he couldn’t find him, he looked all over for him.

“You need to calm down,” Cain said with his eyes darkening.

“No, I don’t need to calm down. You and her maybe can just walk away from your kids and not think about them but I can’t.”

The hit didn’t surprise him, he knew the signs well. Sure, it was the first time Cain had hit him but his lead up was a lot like Charlie’s. That’s where the similarities ended because Aaron wasn’t about to cow down to Cain when it came to his son. He ran at Cain and they fell over a table. He could hear screaming from someone but didn’t know who. After a few lucky shots on both sides, they were pulled apart.

“STOP IT! STOP IT! I WILL CALL THE POLICE!” Diane was shouting.

Aaron was being held back with strong arms. He turned his head and saw Cain’s stepson Adam holding him back. Marlon was holding Cain back.

“What is going on?” Moira asked loudly.

“Ask your husband,” Aaron said before heading back into the living area.

He was done with this; he had noticed it after he arrived. He could put up with Bradley’s creepy ways and listening to very inappropriate arguments between his mum and Bradley, but he couldn’t stand this. His mum had been acting like Monty was her son. She would get up and feed him before Aaron woke up. She had him asking her for permission when he wanted to do things. Then there was her taking him when Aaron had plans with him. This was the first time she didn’t at least let him know though.

“What the hell is your problem?” Bradley came in and demanded.

“I’m leaving,” he told him and headed to the room he had been staying.

As he grabbed his bag to start packed the door was shut and locked. This was the opposite of when Robert had done it, he could feel panic overtaking him. All of his justified anger was now gone and now fear coursed through him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, a tremor in his voice.

“I think it’s time for me and you to have a little chat.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL, guess I didn't hide Monty's sperm donor well.

“What’s your deal, mate?” Aaron asked, gathering up his strength.

“My deal? My deal is you walking around this place like you own it. Your mother does everything for you and you just spit in her face. She takes care of your brat and you cry like a child. Maybe if you were a better parent, she wouldn’t have to watch your son.”

“I never asked her to parent my son. Except for a handful of times, I never asked anything of her. It’s too late for her to try and play mum now.”

“You really do think you’re something special, don’t you?”

Bradley stepped closer to Aaron now, too close. “I think you need to get out of my face.”

Bradley was standing between him and the door.

“What if I don’t.”

Aaron stood up straight and stepped to the side and walked to the door, even while his heart beat wildly. All he needed to do was get out of the room and he would be good. He went to unlock the door and felt Bradley pull him back. Aaron swung around and hit out blindly. He heard Bradley grunt and fall to the ground. Aaron quickly unlocked the door and ran out, almost physically bumping into his mum on the stairs.

“What is wrong with you? Cain rang and said you lost your mind because I took Monty with me. You can’t go around treating people like that.”

Just then Bradley turned the corner and started to come down the stairs.

“What happened?” his mum asked.

“Your psycho son just hit me because I told him to respect you.”

His mum looked at him accusingly. “Is that true?”

“You don’t understand,” he started to say.

“No, you don’t understand. I let you move in and you treat my husband like that just because he wants to protect me. I’m sorry Aaron but this isn’t working out, you’ll have to find somewhere else to live. Monty can stay until you get something permanent.”

“I’ll be out within the hour, don’t worry about that. And like hell would I leave my son with you. You already abandoned one child.”

He pushed past his mum and went looking for his son. Seeing his mum had been alone he’d guess he was in the pub with someone. As he walked in, he was surprised to see Monty and Robert chatting animatedly about something. The reality of the situation just hit him. He was going to have to tell his son they were moving…again and with no place to go.

“Hey, we were just waiting for you,” Robert said.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I just have some things to work out,” he mumbled.

He had nowhere to take his son. He had a little in his bank account, but nothing close to getting a permanent place.

“What’s wrong?” Robert asked, cottoning on something was up.

Aaron shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Hey, mate, why don’t you go and see if can gets some crisps from Diane. Tell her to put it on my tab if she asks,” Robert said to Monty.

Monty smiled and rushed over to the bar. Aaron smiled when his son crawled up on the bar stool so he could speak with Diane.

“Now tell me what’s really wrong,” Robert said.

“Mum took Monty without telling me, I called Cain and my mum rubbish parents and then Bradley locked me in a room with him.”

“What? What happened?”

“Nothing besides some veiled threats. I ended up busting his nose. Now my mum has kick us out.”

“Consider yourself lucky, that guy is a creep.”

“Except now we’re homeless.”

“Leave it to me. You go pack your stuff.”

“Robert, I can take care of my son,” he lied.

“It’s just a hand up, not a handout.”

Aaron was in no position to turn Robert down. It was either stay in a hotel until the money ran out, try and get assistance that would take forever, take Robert’s help or go back to Charlie.

* * *

Robert had to do a lot of quick thinking and talking to get Lawrence to agree to his outlandish idea. He knew that asking to let Aaron and his son move into Home Farm was a little much and might start unwanted questions. But there were several places for Aaron and Monty to stay that wasn’t technically the Whites living space. Like the Granny Flat, it had its own kitchen, loo and a large bedroom, it also had a door to the outside and a small garden. There was also a small boxroom for Monty. Robert said they would take it out of Aaron’s pay, but he had no plans to do that. Aaron needed to save up and quick because he didn’t know how long Lawrence generosity would stay.

It also didn’t hurt that Aaron would be a short walk away from him at all times. Not that he was thinking about having sex with Aaron at Home Farm, no it just made it easier for Aaron to get to work.

Robert had left Aaron and Monty in their new flat. Monty was happy it seemed to have his dad to himself now. There also seemed to be an issue with the tele, he was last in line to watch his cartoons at the pub. Aaron seemed to really like the flat. Chrissie found out about them moving in to the flat and had Sam go and get a child’s bed for Monty. He was amazed at what an amazing woman she was. Only if she could get past her paranoia of him cheating. After all, he was mostly innocent of her accusations.

“If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were fond of that lad,” Chrissie said as they sat down for tea.

“Huh?” Robert asked, a slight wobble to his voice.

“Monty. I can see why, he’s a little doll. He reminds me a little of you with his bravado.”

“Oh, yeah, he’s a funny too. He’ll get right gobby with you if he thinks you need a talking to though.”

“I miss when Lachlan was that small. I bet if we had a little one, he would be a lot like Monty.”

He needed to get away from the baby thing again, he wasn’t ready for that in his life. There were loads of things he wanted to do and getting up with a teething baby in the middle of the night isn’t one. He wanted to travel more with work, Chrissie would put a stop to that if they had a baby.

“Knowing me it would probably be like Victoria; trust me you don’t want that.”

“I think your sister is lovely.”

“Yeah, but she was a bit crazy when she was young.” He left off that a lot of it started because of him and Katie.

It was just them at the table, Lachlan and Lawrence had gone into Hotten.

Chrissie finally let the subject drop and they discussed other things.

“I don’t like that man,” she said out of the blue.

“What man?” Trying to figure out who she was speaking about, they had been speaking about a car Robert had wanted before that.

“Bradley.”

That was news to him, he hadn’t thought Chrissie had an opinion about him. They had only told Chrissie and Lawrence that Chas kicked Aaron out because Aaron lost it when she took Monty. Chrissie had been fully on Aaron’s side. She was very much on the side of the parent caring for the child.

“Why?”

“I didn’t want to say because I didn’t want to make trouble.”

He looked at her oddly. She was hedging, she never hedged. She was a straightforward, confident woman.

“Go on,” he urged her. The more info on Aaron’s stepfather the better. After Bradley hit on him, he stayed away.

“I saw him.”

“Saw him?”

“I saw him try and force himself on Finn.”

“What?” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I was on the way to the Ladies’ in the pub, it was at closing, so I thought I was the only one there. Chas was cleaning the bar, I thought I should go before the drive home. The Ladies’ was out of order, so I decided just to go in the Gents’. I opened the door and saw Finn pinned against the wall by Bradley and Finn was trying to push him off. I guess he wasn’t expecting me, he let Finn go.”

“Why didn’t you tell Chas? I know for a fact Ross would have made it so no one ever found Bradley’s body.” Ross was a tosser, but he was very protective of his baby brother.

“I was, I turned around to go right to her, but Finn stopped me. He begged me not to say anything.”

“Are you kidding me? He was assaulting Finn in the lavatory and you just keep it to yourself.”

“Finn said it was the first time he wasn’t able to get away. He told me he usually was with Vic or his brothers. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.”

“I guess that’s alright until he tries when someone isn’t around. So far, his type has been adults but who knows how young he’ll go because he is a sexual predator. You let your son walk around a village that this man is in knowing what kind of bloke he is.” 

“I promised Finn.”

“Do you want the real reason Aaron’s here? Because Bradley had him trapped in his room in the pub. Aaron got a lucky shot and was able to get away. His mum wouldn’t even listen to him. If you would have come forward with what you saw with Finn this would have never happened.”

“You can’t tell,” she begged.

“If he was going around assaulting women, would you be so keen to keep it quiet on a promise?” he said. After that he got up and left, losing his appetite.

How many others had this man assaulted or at very least creeped on? He just hit on him but that was it. Then there was the real worry about the teenage boys in the village. He didn’t know if Bradley went that young but there was the chance. Bradley needed to be dealt with, he was a predator.

He had to do something, but his hands had to stay clean. Grabbing his mobile he looked through his contacts. Stopping on Ross Barton’s name. He would just light the fuse and walk away.


	6. Chapter 6

“I don’t see why I had to come,” Aaron said as he watched the scenery sped past him.

“I told you, these conventions are a headache. It’ll be easier having you there to help with keeping contacts in order,” Robert said.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “And Chrissie really bought that?”

“Of course, she did, I’m very honest.”

“I must have fallen into the Twilight Zone for that to be true.”

“I think I’m offended by that,” Robert said but he was smiling so Aaron knew he wasn’t. “Just think, we will have the whole weekend together.”

“Don’t you feel the littlest bit guilty for cheating on Chrissie?” he asked honestly.

“I look it at this way, she doesn’t have to know everything I’m doing. It’s not like I’m going to leave her for you.”

He didn’t like how much those simple words hurt. He wasn’t asking Robert to leave Chrissie, but he thought they did mean something. He regretted the no strings bargain to begin with.

“Would you be this nonchalant about her having an affair?”

“That’s different.” Aaron snorted. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Robert demanded.

“You sound like Charlie.”

“Who?”

“My ex, well maybe he’s still my current. I didn’t really end things as much as run out in the middle of the night with all I could pack and Monty. Not that I ever plan to go back to him.”

“That’s drastic. What happened?”

“He hit my kid.”

Aaron saw Robert’s knuckles whiten on the steering wheel. “He’s five-years-old,” Robert ground out.

“I know. He had heard us and came in thinking it was his job to save me,” Aaron said before realizing he said too much.

“What did you need saving from?”

“Charlie was a bit physical,” he said, trying to play it down.

“How did you meet him?”

“He was my counselor.”

Robert turned to look at him with wide eyes. Aaron couldn’t really blame him, he had to keep it quiet when he was Charlie’s patient. Losing Izzy and being the only parent to a baby, it was too much. He put his name on a waitlist and finally got a counselor, but his cutting got worse. A neighbor called social services on him for neglect because Monty cried so much. Charlie told him what to say to the social worker to get them to back off. Their case was closed pretty fast. If it wasn’t for Charlie, he might have lost Monty.

“That’s got to be against some kind of rule.”

“Like sleeping with your employee?” Aaron asked.

“If you didn’t like working with me you could quit but you depended on him for your mental health.”

“It wasn’t bad in the beginning. Early on it was really good. It wasn’t until he talked me into leaving my job that things started to get tense.”

“Why did he talk you into leaving your job?”

“He didn’t like that I made more than him. Here he was with all the education, then there I was with almost none and making almost double what he was. If I stayed, I would have probably made three times as much.”

“What the hell did you do to make that kind of money?”

“I worked as an office manager for Roman Brookes Investments.”

“How would an office manager make that money?”

“It was Izzy’s dad’s company. I didn’t really need any type of experience, nepotism at it’s best. I somehow had lucked into getting them a multi-million-dollar account, so I got a bonus and substantial pay raise for it.”

“Wow, why aren’t you still working there? You would be set for life.”

“After Izzy died, I fell off the rails a bit. That’s when I met Charlie. Then he found out how much I made and thought it wasn’t good for my headspace.”

“I can tell you without meeting him it was to keep you under thumb. You were successful and had enough money to take care of yourself and your child.”

“That wasn’t even counting Izzy’s trust fund.”

“Your wife had a trust fund? Why in the hell are you living in our granny flat?”

“After Izzy died, I took all the money that she left me and put it away in a trust for Monty. I didn’t want him to ever have to depend on anyone once he was grown.”

“Hell, Aaron didn’t you think about how you were going to get him to adulthood?”

“I had a good job.”

“But you got talked into giving it up.”

“And my place.”

“Aaron, you might as well have handed yourself over to this bloke with a giant bow on.”

“It didn’t happen like that, like all together. It was slowly, like not noticing you’re in quicksand until its up to your chest. Let’s talk about something else. Have you seen Bradley lately?”

Robert shrugged. “No, I don’t see why I would care.”

“Mum is losing her mind; he hasn’t come home in days.”

“That’s good she’s still speaking to you,” Robert said but now he seemed more tense.

“Yeah, I guess we just couldn’t live in the same place for long. Left when I was eight.”

“You don’t talk about your dad. Do you not get on?”

“I’d rather not talk about it. I think Chrissie wants another baby,” Aaron said, changing the subject to something he knew made Robert uncomfortable.

“Don’t you start on me too.”

Aaron laughed. “Why don’t you want one? I can’t picture my life without Monty.”

“It’s just some people are meant to be parents, and some aren’t.”

“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit.” Then Aaron realized what he was doing. He was trying to talk the bloke he was having an affair with to have a child with his wife. A wife that Aaron genuinely liked. He felt bad for doing what he was doing but when he was with Robert, he actually felt as close to happy as he had been in years. Robert looked at him like he was special, not like he was useless and disgusting. Because of that he tried not to think of Chrissie too much when they were together.

* * *

Robert got out of the shower, feeling exhilarated. It had been a good weekend. He and Aaron had shared a bed the whole time. They went out and ate and spent most of their time together. They were due to leave in the next few hours.

The one thing non-Aaron related was what Ross had done to Bradley. He had texted Ross last night and he had said he hadn’t gotten a chance to take care of him. He said that Bradley disappeared before he was able to get him. Robert didn’t know if he believed him or not.

Aaron had gone down to a gift shop, wanting to get something for Monty. Monty had been spending the weekend at Wishing Well Cottage. Robert laughed when he went with Aaron to drop Monty off. As soon as he saw the pigs, Monty went ten shades of diva. He said he couldn’t get near livestock because he didn’t do manual labour.

When they left Aaron accused Robert of being a bad influence on Monty. Said that he was turning him into a mini-Robert. Robert thought he was being a good influence, there was no way Monty would think he was a second-class citizen like Aaron thought of himself. Robert was sure there was a lot more to Aaron that he hadn’t told him. The things he did tell him made him angry. Charlie had been looking for the ‘right’ person to seduce. Aaron had been perfect for him. Aaron would never see himself as a victim but that’s what he was, Charlie was a predator no different from Bradley.

Someone knocked on the door after he dressed. “Did you forget your keycard?” he asked as he opened the door.

“Who are you talking to?” Chrissie asked.

“Chrissie. What are you doing here?”

“I had business here and decided that we could ride back together."

"That’s a great idea but I drove Aaron here with me.”

“I know, he can take my car back.”

“Great,” he said, trying to block the doorway without looking like it. Aaron’s clothes were all over the room. There were also used condoms in the rubbish bin and some other very obvious signs of sex in the room.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?” she asked, brushing passed time into the room. The room smelled sex and the box of opened condoms beside the bed didn’t help.

“Umm…this isn’t actually my room. It’s Aaron’s. I was just getting something he forgot to give me last night. I’ve already checked out of my room,” he lied.

“Oh my, looks like he’s been busy. I remember what it was like having a small child. Your social life is shelved. I’m glad he had a little break. Dad and mum would take Lachlan for a while so I could have a bit of a social life.”

“Should I be jealous? Is there another bloke waiting for you to be single again?” he asked, smiling at her.

“I don’t know there may have been a few broken hearts.”

The door opened at that moment and Aaron walked in carrying a bag that he guessed Monty’s gift was in.

“Sorry I’m still here. I was getting that paper and Chrissie came. I told her about switching rooms.”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed but he covered, not well, he was an awful liar.

“Yeah, soz. I’m just going to pack my stuff and I’ll be ready to leave.”

“Where is your things?” Chrissie asked Robert.

Robert pointed to his bags. They were neatly by the door. “I brought them with me.”

“Make sense.” She turned towards Aaron who was quickly packing the more intimate things. “Aaron, I was hoping you would take my car so I could ride back with Robert.”

“It’s fine,” Aaron said, not looking up. At least they had most of the weekend together.

“I know that you probably want to get back to your mum quickly,” Chrissie said to Aaron.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because Bradley’s body was found late last night. Didn’t she tell you?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay, I've been sick this week and couldn't stand sitting in my computer chair.

As it turned out, no one killed good old Bradley. His heart gave out while he was off on one of his walks. His body wasn’t easy to find which is why it took days. Robert suspected he was probably doing something nefarious but that wasn’t important now. Chas had asked Aaron to move back in, but the younger man had held his ground. She didn’t respect him as a parent and did things without his say so. Robert had actually been really proud of him then. Aaron had no problem standing up for himself when it came to what was best for Monty. If he could just get Aaron to understand that it hurts Monty seeing Aaron think so little of himself, the most important person in his young life.

Everything was pretty much back too normal. The funeral was nice, he guessed, it wasn’t like he went. Vic said it was nice, so he believed her. Robert had noticed that Ross was aggravated he hadn’t got to hurt the bastard who had made his little brother’s life hell for a time.

“I feel like we haven’t had a moment alone together in forever,” Chrissie said.

They were in the pub for a drink before turning in for the night. It wasn’t how he pictured his life. Living with his wife, father-in-law, stepson and to an extent his lover and his lover’s son. Not that his wife knew about the lover part, only that Aaron was his assistant.

He had promised himself that they wouldn’t have sex anywhere on the property. But what had happened was they had been together in pretty much everywhere there wasn’t a camera. Aaron had asked him once if he felt guilty. He had lied and said yes but he couldn’t control himself with Aaron. That was only a half truth. He did want Aaron more than he thought he should, but he didn’t feel guilty about cheating on Chrissie. They both knew what they were getting when they got involved. She wanted someone young, someone that her father didn’t like. He wanted the money he would be marrying into. He did love her, but he wasn’t about to be someone he wasn’t.

“I’ve missed you too,” he said, kissing her hand.

She blushed like a schoolgirl and he smiled. She really was beautiful; any bloke would kill to be with her. She was smart and funny when she let her hair down. She also had a grace about her without being snobbish.

“I was thinking. Why don’t we go to the coast?”

“I would love to but I’m just way too busy. Maybe next month,” he told her.

“Alright. But I’ll hold you to it.”

The door opened and a man dressed in hideous yellow tracksuit walked in. Robert had never seen him before and he looked very out of place in the little farming village. Robert wasn’t the only one to notice the stranger. Chrissie seemed just as curious as he did, so they watched as he stepped closer to the bar.

“What would you like?” Diane asked. Robert noticed she was being a little more awkward than usual. The man looked like he belonged in a Curious George book.

“Scotch, top shelf. Three fingers.”

Robert wasn’t expecting an American accent from him. He looked to be about in his mid-fifties with dyed black hair.

Diane got scotch from the top shelf. He’d never seen anyone order it, even Lawrence didn’t spend that kind of money on alcohol.

“Are you here on business?” Diane asked as she put the tumbler in front of him.

“No,” he said simply.

The door opened again, and Aaron walked in. Robert noticed that Monty wasn’t with him. It wasn’t something that was seen most of the time because usually if he wasn’t working Monty was glued to his side.

Aaron stopped in his tracks when he saw the stranger. He started to turn around back towards the door when the stranger saw him.

“Don’t you even fucking dare, Sunny Jim” the older man said.

Everyone in the room tensed with the venom coming from the man. Robert saw Chas grab something from under the bar.

Aaron just started to laugh. It was a real laugh, one that he hadn’t heard much of. “I thought you were living in some yurt in Slovenia.”

“What can I say, seclusion doesn’t suit me.” The bloke’s voice now was a normal even warm tone.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, I go to your place and guess what I find? The hijo de las mil putas was there.”

“I see you’re learning Spanish in your old age.”

“Only the dirty stuff. The idiot told me that you left.”

“I did.”

“I tried to get you to leave for years. Why now?”

Aaron seemed to realize he was in front of the whole pub. Robert watched him close off.

“Who are you?” Chas asked. She had been just as enthralled with the conversation until now. She was doing better now; she wasn’t so broken from the death of her husband as he thought she would be.

“Jefferson Brookes pleased to meet you. If I would have known such a beauty was hiding away in a small village like this, I would have been here sooner.” Chas blushed.

Robert saw Aaron roll his eyes.

“That’s my mum, JR,” Aaron said.

“You never said she was a model.”

Now Robert couldn’t help but rolling his eyes. Who was this bloke?

The door opened again, and Belle and Monty came in. Monty stopped next to his dad, looking at the stranger.

“GRANDAD!”

* * *

Seeing JR like this wasn’t that much of a shock. The man had more money than God, he could find anyone he wanted. He just wished it weren’t in front of the whole village almost. When JR started to chat up his mum Aaron felt a little sick. He respected and loved JR, but his mum would eat him alive.

JR picked Monty up and swung him around.

“Watch it, you’re going to hurt your back again,” he told the older man.

“Yes, mother,” JR said in a high-pitched voice making Monty giggle.

“Are you staying, Grandad?” Monty asked hopefully as JR put him down.

“As a matter of fact, I just got a week’s stay at the beautiful B&B down the way.”

“YAY!” Monty shouted and started to dance around.

“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced,” his mum said to JR. “I’m Chastity Dingle and as Aaron said, I’m his mum.”

“Enchanté,” JR said. “As I said, I’m Jefferson Brookes and this young man over here was married to my daughter.”

Aaron thought Monty yelling grandad was a giveaway, but he guessed not. He sat back and let JR regale everyone with his latest escapades, including skydiving in Canada and mountain climbing in Indonesia. It was going to be a long night, JR loved when he had a crowd to fawn over him.

* * *

“You didn’t tell me that your father-in-law was still in your life,” Robert said to Aaron, kissing down his spine.

“Please don’t talk about JR right after sex.”

Robert laughed but moved to the side. They were in Aaron’s bed. There weren’t any cameras near the granny flat and they were able to get together there without fear. Aaron’s father-in-law had taken Monty for the day.

“JR is JR,” Aaron said simply, he didn’t really know how to explain his father-in-law.

“I’m confused. If Monty’s mum had family, rich family I might add, to take care of Monty. Why marry you and have you adopt him?”

It was a good question. “JR really isn’t the caregiver type. He’s a great bloke but after Izzy’s mum died, she was raised by a nanny. She really didn’t see him until she started to work for one of his companies.”

“He has more than one?”

“Yes.” He didn’t want to get into that mess. He did his best not to let on to Charlie the full extent of his involvement with JR’s businesses. At first it was because he didn’t want to anger Charlie but later on it was to keep Monty’s inheritance safe.

“So, she didn’t want her son raised by a nanny.”

“Right.”

“He seems like quite the character.”

“You have no idea. JR is the best but it’s not a good idea to rely too much on him.”

“Why?”

Aaron didn’t know how to answer that without giving too much about his past away.

“He’s just not.”

After Robert dressed and left, Aaron checked his mobile. He had given JR his new number. He was hoping to see an update about how Monty was doing. There was a text from JR, but it didn’t involve Monty.

**_Maggie is on her way._ **

Aaron rushed to the toilet where he could be sick. His past was coming back to him and there was nothing he could do. Everyone would find out about his lies.


	8. Chapter 8

Aaron knew he couldn’t put this off any longer. He told JR to keep Monty away. He didn’t want his son to hear what would probably be said. He had texted Maggie to try and convince her to meet him somewhere private. That wasn’t Maggie’s style though. She wanted to humiliate him in front of everyone. She’s always hated him; he can’t say he was fond of her. She was Izzy’s distant cousin on her mum side.

The pub was full of the usual villagers when he arrived. Looking around he saw that Maggie wasn’t there yet. Sadly, a lot of his family was. Why did they have to be here? He knew there was no convincing Maggie when she got her mind set.

“You’ve just missed you mum,” Diane said.

At least this wouldn’t be in front of her. He inwardly groaned when he watched Robert walk in. This was just too much. The door wasn’t even shut when it opened again, and Maggie walked in.

* * *

Robert was going to speak to Aaron, but it looked like he may be ill. Instead, he sat at the bar and ordered a pint from Diane.

“Hello, Aaron,” a sultry voice purred.

Robert turned his head and saw an incredibly beautiful, very pregnant woman standing in front of Aaron.

“Let’s talk in the back,” Aaron pleaded. Robert could hear the tension in his voice.

“No. I don’t think I will. I was hoping to see Montgomery.”

“He’s with JR. What do you want? I thought everything was said last time.”

“JR told me you left the idiot. You can’t raise Montgomery alone. I’ve spoken to Catherine, she agrees, you’re too fragile to take care of Montgomery by yourself.”

“I’ve been taking care of Monty since he was born. I didn’t hear any of you volunteering to take him when Izzy got sick. If I correctly remember you just got married and thought bringing up a baby that wasn’t yours would ruin your marriage. Catherine said that she was too old to be taking care of a baby. I was the one that cleaned up his sick and Izzy’s. None of you could be found when she was slowly dying. Not once did you come and see if you could help.”

“I was too broken up about her illness.” Even Robert could see what a load of tosh that was.

“Really? She asked me daily when someone from her mother’s side would come visit her. Watching her body waste away was nothing compared to watching her heartbreak.” Aaron wasn’t looking sick or scared anymore, he looked furious.

“Don’t you act all sanctimonious. We all know why you married her, and it wasn’t because of your love for her.”

“That’s why you’re really here, isn’t it?”

“Montgomery’s birthday is coming up.”

“I knew it. You don’t care about Monty. It’s all about the inheritance.”

“It makes no sense. You weren’t his blood. How could he have left you everything?”

Robert was curious now. Aaron said he had been broke, which is why he was staying in the granny flat. He had said that his wife left him some money, but it was all put away for Monty when he was grown.

“Go home, Maggie,” Aaron said, shaking his head.

“No, you’ll be getting the papers from my solicitor soon, but I thought I’d let you know. I’m petitioning the court to get custody of Monty.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“You’re not taking my son.”

“There is a way to stop me. When you go and sign for the inheritance, sign it away to me.”

“Blackmail, classy.”

“You’re a gold-digger, you’ve always been. Everyone knows what you did to get Uncle Rick to like you so much.”

Robert saw the panic in Aaron’s eyes and knew whatever she was about to say, was going to be bad.

“Stop,” Aaron begged.

“You bend over for a man old enough to be your grandfather…your wife’s grandfather and you think you can judge me?”

Robert’s jaw dropped. He could hear the whispers around the pub. Shame was on Aaron’s face so it must be true. Robert would have stepped in, but he knew that would embarrass Aaron more.

“Rick was a good person,” Aaron said simply.

“He was an old man,” she sneered.

“You’re not getting my son so just turn around and go home.”

“Don’t you have children to be fattening up for your gingerbread house?” Robert asked, not being able to help himself.

The woman turned to him and her eyes narrowed. While arguing wasn’t something Aaron liked, Robert did his best in a good row.

“And who are you? You’re too young to be his new sugar daddy.”

“I’m his boss and his mate. You need to back off. He told you to leave, you probably should.”

“Boss? Why does he need a boss when he has 6.2 billion dollars at his fingertips?”

It was pandemonium after that. There was no way to control what was going on. Robert was lost and Aaron had made a beeline out the door. Dingles all looked like they had been hit in the head with a bat. Robert knew how they felt. For months Aaron had told all of them that he was penniless, didn’t even have anything to feed his son the first night. But now to find out he was a billionaire; it was a despicable lie. Chrissie had even dug out some of Lachlan’s old clothes for Monty.

* * *

She told everyone about the money. He knew she would, and he thought he would be alright with it. He had lied to everyone but not really. He didn’t have any money and never really thought he would. Rick had put it into his will that Aaron wouldn’t get anything until Monty was six. It was a weird stipulation, but Rick was a weird bloke. Only the people at the will reading knew about it.

Caroline, Rick’s ex had been less than pleased. She tried to get him labeled an unfit parent right off after saying he took advantage of an old man didn’t work. While Charlie didn’t know about the money, Aaron had been putting off telling him, he did help him keep Monty. Charlie was an expert at playing the system, which is why no one believed Aaron about the abuse.

It all started so innocent, at least he thought it was. Now that he was older, he couldn’t still think Rick was the most selfless person even like Aaron had taken him for in the beginning.

Aaron had met Izzy when he was almost seventeen. She gave him a job as a gofer. He didn’t make much, but it was a job. She let him move into her box room, so he at least had a place to live. Then one day, a few months in, he met Rick. JR was trying to get Rick to invest. At the time, Aaron didn’t know that Rick was Izzy’s late mother’s father. Rick had taken a shine to him and JR told him to show him around. He knew that JR really wanted Rick to invest.

No one could ever accuse Aaron of being the most conversational, but Rick didn’t seem to mind. He would talk and Aaron would listen. On the third day of talks with JR, things between him and Rick changed. Rick asked him if he had a girlfriend. He had actually just started going to gay clubs, had his first walk of shame a week prior. Aaron decided it didn’t matter if Rick knew he was gay, so he told him. Aaron wasn’t even sure how it happened, but he ended up in Rick’s hotel room that night and every night the rest of the week.

Rick did invest and told JR it was because of him. JR didn’t find out why until much later, and said he was glad Rick was dead or he would have killed him himself. But that’s how he got the job as the office manager because he did bend over for Rick, not that anyone knew then. He started saving as soon after, he was making more than he ever imagined. Monty was born and Rick came over to see his great-grandson. Izzy caught them in his room after she went to lie down for a bit. Rick told her he wanted to be with him. Aaron didn’t remember anyone asking his opinion on the matter. He liked when Rick said he was proud of him; he was fairly sure the whole reason he was with Rick was because of his issues. Izzy didn’t like it but didn’t demand them to stop, she did tell him it was gross though.

Rick’s only child had been Izzy’s mum. When Izzy got sick and they got married, Aaron had put an end to their arraignment. Rick understood and that was it. Izzy died and Rick came back into his life, he wasn’t the virile bloke he had been. Losing Izzy had deeply hurt them all. It had been when Aaron started cutting. He told Aaron because Monty was all he had left; he was leaving his fortune to him when he died. Monty had already inherited from his mum, but Aaron agreed. It wasn’t until the old codger died that Aaron found out he lied. He didn’t leave it to Monty, he left it to him to “do as he pleased”. He made sure everyone had no questions about why the fortune was left to him. He called him the love of his life in the will. Aaron felt like he had the word rent boy tattooed on his forehead then.

He had already met Charlie at that point and his life had started to feel alright. He had thought about telling Charlie about the money and businesses but then he started going on about his job and what he did to get such a high paying one. Aaron felt like rubbish because Charlie had been right, he had sex to get him it not that Charlie knew, he was just guessing. It wasn’t planned, all he wanted to do was make JR not regret giving him a job.

Right now, Leland Donavon was running the businesses. He told Aaron that he couldn’t wait until Monty’s birthday because he wanted to retire to somewhere tropical in his old age. Aaron had no want or skill to run such a big company. He would have to find someone to run it because it was Monty’s birthright. He didn’t want to get rid of it in case Monty would want to run them when he grew up.

Rick thought Aaron would be ready to take over all the responsibility and fortune when Monty turned six, which is in five days. Why would he pick that age? Aaron didn’t know. Now everyone in the village knew about the money and his lies. Charlie always told a lie by omission was still a lie. He never thought it would really happen. He was sure Catherine would put a stop to it.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Aaron hadn’t heard Robert enter the barn. He thought no one would look for him there.

“Didn’t think it was anyone else’s business.”

“You said you didn’t have anything.”

“I didn’t…still don’t. I won’t until Monty turns six. I guess I really never thought it would happen. But if Maggie is here spreading her venom, then I guess all of her and Catherine’s options are out.”

“You’re rich.”

“No. Monty is. I’m just going to hold onto it until he’s old enough.”

“How dense can you be? If you do this right, you can double what you have and leave for him. Don’t you want to be more than a PA living in your boss’s granny flat.”

“Actually, it’s Lawrence’s,” Aaron said, getting annoyed with Robert talking down to him.

Robert narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything about it. “You would want for naught,” Robert said.

“All I ever wanted was to take care of my son.”

“What did you want before?”

“What do you mean?”

“What did you want before you had a son?”

“A family who wanted me.” Safety. Not being scared of his bedroom door cricking open.

“I know the feeling.”

Aaron had a hard time believing that, Robert seemed to fit everywhere. No one pushed Robert around. People didn’t like Aaron, he was either too sullen, quiet or angry. He was still shocked Izzy had wanted to be his mate because at that point in life he was very annoying. JR was like a father to him, a real one not the monster who was his sperm donor. It had taken him years to realize it was just his youth that Rick had liked. Maybe that was why it was so hard for him to accept the inheritance.

“So, whose baby is she carrying?” Robert asked.

“Probably her husband,” Aaron said with a shrug, it wasn’t his business. “They’ve been trying to conceive since I met them. I wouldn’t know but she had a lot of questions about the procedure and everything when Izzy wanted us to fertilize some of her eggs.”

“You have embryos?”

Aaron nodded. “Izzy was an only child. She wanted Monty to have a little brother or sister. Because when I do get married again it will be to a man not a woman, she decided to have some of her eggs harvested. We just went ahead and had them fertilized.”

“By you?”

“No by Vin Diesel, yes by me,” Aaron said, a little offended. “It was all very clinical and done in an office, not like we had sex.” Her body had barely been able to withstand the procedure.

“When are you going to have another kid?”

“You have to be joking. My life is no where near ready for another child.”

“What are you going to do about everything?”

“I guess when I get the money, I’ll get me and Monty a place to live and a good security system.”

“With your family, that would be a smart purchase.”


	9. Chapter 9

Aaron had just put Monty down for the night. JR had promised to try and keep people away. News had moved fast, he already had peopling ringing him from all over, lost Dingles to get “re-in touch”. He hadn’t remembered any of them giving a damn about him before. But he was sure that a few weren’t even related. Robert had told him he should probably get his number changed, now he thought that wasn’t such a bad idea.

He still doubted he would get the money. It was too crazy to even think about. When he was sixteen, he was living rough after his dad kicked him out. Meeting Izzy had been a miracle all on its own. She had just found out that Monty was on his way. She was so scared but excited at the same time. She told him about a workaholic dad and a dead mother, she always just wanted a family of her own. Monty would be that to her. She said finding a partner could wait. But they found out later she couldn’t. It may not have been a romantic love, but it was the strongest love he’s known, except for his love for Monty.

Money never mattered to him, even when he was a stupid kid. All he wanted was to feel like he belonged. Izzy did that and he wouldn’t take advantage of her grandfather. She had told Aaron more than he wanted to know about her grandfather when she found out what happened between them. The reason of her grandparents’ divorce was because he was caught in bed with a twenty-year old escort, but it was a female. He guessed Rick was bi, but it didn’t matter, what did was he left Aaron changed and not for the better. It had sealed this idea he had of himself…dirty.

Someone knocked on the door. He thought it was just Robert, so he didn’t think twice about answering the door. He was surprised to see Lawrence.

“I wasn’t expecting anyone this late,” Aaron said, blocking the door.

“I was wondering if we could have a chat.”

“I just put Monty down.”

“It’s alright I’ll be just a minute.”

Aaron guessed the only way he was getting rid of him was to hear him out. “Alright,” he said, moving aside.

Lawrence looked around as he walked in. “I like what you’ve done here.”

Aaron looked around, it wasn’t much different from before other than the toy chest in the corner, a half-completed puzzle of Spiderman on the kitchen table and a small Lego table.

“I really appreciate you letting us live here,” Aaron told him.

Lawrence waved him off. “It’s nothing. I didn’t know you were married to Richard Krause’s granddaughter.”

“Sorry, didn’t think it was relevant.”

“I bet not; I’m sure keeping it quiet was for a good cause.”

“Yeah.”

“I was wondering what you were going to do after you take over his assets.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just that you would probably be looking for somewhere to invest.”

“What?”

“I’m just saying, you’ll want to invest when you receive the money. Not only that you’ll be the prime owner of Sonnetblume Daisy Holdings, that’s impressive.”

Aaron saw where this was going. “Look. I’m not even sure if any of that is even going to matter. Right now, with Maggie threatening to take Monty, it’s the bottom of things I’m worrying about.”

“I understand. Just know that if you need any help, don’t hesitate to come to me.”

“Alright, thanks,” he said. He had no plans to do that. He didn’t really know Lawrence but knew that if the man ever found out about him and Robert, it wouldn’t be pretty.

Not long after Lawrence left, Robert showed up.

“I’m glad you’re still awake,” Robert said, coming in.

“What do you want?” He was tired and didn’t want to deal with the Robert drama.

“You.”

“Monty’s here,” he told him.

“That’s why doors have locks.”

“Rob today has been a horrible day. I don’t really feel like it.”

“I get it.” Robert turned around, facing the door. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing at the album Aaron was looking at earlier.

“Photos of before, there are ones of Izzy when she was pregnant, Monty when he was born, stuff like that.”

Robert picked up the album.

“Dad, my tummy hurts.”

Aaron jumped a little bit at the disturbance. He grabbed the album from Robert just as Robert started to open it. “You have to get out of here.”

“Yeah, hope he feels better.”

Monty always had a weak stomach. He had taken him to the doctor before and they said it was something he would grow out of. He was starting to think he needed a second opinion.

* * *

They met up the next day in the barn they sometimes used. It was a place no one would look. Home Farm during the day was too risky. Robert was running his hands over Aaron’s body, loving the reactions he got from the younger man.

Before he could do anymore the doors opened, and Robert jumped away from Aaron. He grabbed his clothes and dressed, worried about who had just walked in and saw them. He noticed Aaron hadn’t shifted, he was just staring at the door with an odd look. Robert turned and saw a bloke around forty with dark hair. It was dark in the barn, but Robert could make out a little of the other man.

“Sleeping with the boss, I’m not shocked,” the stranger said.

“Who are you?” Robert asked.

“I’m the wronged boyfriend. That’s my partner,” he said pointing at Aaron.

It hit him that this was the Charlie that Aaron talked about. Aaron never said Charlie hurt him, but Robert was good at reading between the lines. What Aaron did say was that this bloke had hurt a little boy.

“I guess that makes you the child abuser.”

“Is that what he is saying about me?” He turned towards Aaron again. “I understand. You can’t accept that you hurt Monty. It wasn’t your fault, he stepped between us, you didn’t mean to hit him.”

“What? I didn’t hit him, you did.”

“You’re not remembering that night correctly. You were so angry that night, but it wasn’t your fault.”

“No! You backhanded him so hard that he hit the wall.”

“Is that what the police said?”

“You lied to them. Made them think I was some headcase.”

“If it wasn’t for me you would be in prison right now and Monty would be in someone else’s care.”

“That’s not true,” Aaron said but Robert could tell he was wavering.

“This isn’t healthy, Aaron. I hope you were at least safe; I knew with those other blokes you weren’t.”

Other blokes? Robert didn’t like the sound of that.

“What other blokes?” Robert asked.

“The ones he cheated on me with,” Charlie said.

“I never,” Aaron protested.

“Thom, Niles, Milo,” Charlie said darkly.

“You made me,” Aaron said quietly.

Robert wanted Charlie to leave, he didn’t like seeing Aaron this way. He had been so happy just moments before and now he was shaking apart.

“You need to leave,” Robert told him.

“I don’t think I will.”

“What?”

“I’ve been looking into you. You have a wife and a life, and you wouldn’t want this to come to light. I just want to work things out with Aaron. We belong together.”

“I don’t want to be together anymore,” Aaron said, his voice a little stronger than before.

“He’s never going to leave his wife for you. We have history, so much history. We’re it for each other. I love you and I know you still love me.”

“I can’t put Monty in that kind of environment again.”

“I promise things will change.”

Robert didn’t believe that and hoped Aaron didn’t either. The bloke wasn’t even admitting to doing anything wrong. He had basically told Aaron he was mad and didn’t know what was going on.

“Charlie, this isn’t healthy, being with you isn’t healthy,” Aaron said, finally standing up after putting on his clothes.

“Healthy? This isn’t healthy, Aaron. Sleeping around with married men. Where is Monty while you’re doing this? Do you even know?”

“He’s in school,” Robert answered for Aaron.

“Does he know?” Charlie asked, gesturing to Robert.

“Know what?” Robert asked.

Charlie seemed to be ignoring him now and continued to speak to Aaron. “Does he know about your father?”

“Don’t,” Aaron said, panic in his voice.

“Guess that answers my question. Look, I care about you and only want the best. We both know you don’t do well alone. You need me, not a playboy who doesn’t give a toss about you or Monty. I know I wasn’t exactly in favour of it before, but I think you were right, I should adopt Monty.”

“I mentioned it once when I was sick,” Aaron said.

“And now I agree.”

“Why now?” Robert asked, smelling a rat.

“What business is it of yours?” Charlie asked. Robert saw the menace in eyes, Aaron hadn’t been mistaken. This man was dangerous.

“I don’t believe that. I think you found out about something that made you want to reconnect before Monty’s sixth birthday.”

“Rob, don’t. I can’t deal with this. I’m going home and I don’t what to see you again, Charlie.”

“If you leave, I’ll find that pretty wife of our friend over here and tell her everything. I’ll even show the pictures my PI got.”

“You’ve been having him followed like some pathetic stalker?” Robert asked.

“Good thing I did, or I wouldn’t know he was being taken advantage of.”

“Please, don’t,” Aaron said to Charlie.

“I won’t if you go with me to Hotten to talk things out. I have a hotel room there.”

“Don’t do it, Aaron.” He didn’t know what he would tell Chrissie, but he was willing to call the bluff. This was all Charlie had on him, he wouldn’t spend it on this.

“Go on, Robert,” Aaron said, looking down.

“What about Monty?”

“He’s been wanting to spend more time with his grandad.”

“Please.” This was as close to begging Robert would get. Something in him knew letting Aaron go with Charlie was a horrible mistake.

“Leave, Robert,” Aaron said with more force.

There wasn’t anything he could do. He could try and force Aaron to go with him but then Charlie really would tell Chrissie. He had to trust Aaron with himself, which he knew wasn’t a good idea. In the short time he had been with Aaron, he knew he was so used to be hurt that it was normal. He had no idea the things that Aaron had been through, but body language said loads.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said before leaving the barn. He knew he was making a huge mistake, but he just didn’t know how to fix it without ruining his own life.

* * *

Aaron felt like he was being led to his execution. He had changed his will after he left Charlie. He knew JR would love and take care of Monty, but he would either be unhappy staying in one place or hire a nanny like he had done Izzy. Izzy didn’t want Monty to be raised like that. His mum seemed to have matured but he could tell she was still self-centered; she would bail on Monty as soon as it got tough. Most of the Dingles were nice enough but he wouldn’t leave Monty with them. Maggie and Catherine were out because they never were there for Izzy when she needed them.

He knew Sam would take care of Monty. The man may not be the sharpest person, but he had been the only one that seemed to have not dropped their kid off with other people. He thought about Zak and Lisa, but they were on the older side and had so many issues with Belle. Marlon had been a runner up too, but he seemed to be having marital problems. He would probably change it again if he found someone else that he trusted more but as it stands, Sam would be the one to show Monty love and family if something happened to him. But looking over at Charlie who was clenching his jaw as he drove, Aaron knew the time had run out.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had most of this chapter written but then when I tried to reopen the file it was corrupt so I had to rewrite. Sorry if it's not as well put to getter as some. I know this chapter is a bit over the top and outlandish but I had it planned for the beginning so I didn't want to change it. I hope you all enjoy the newest chapter.

They had been rowing in the hotel room for what felt like ages. Just going around and around about things better left in the past.

“I don’t want to be with you anymore,” Aaron told him earnestly.

“Why? We were happy for years and all of the sudden you’re just gone.”

“I told you why. But it’s even more than what happened with Monty. We’re not good together. We made each other miserable.”

“And you think this new bloke will make you happy?” Charlie’s eyes were pleading for Aaron to make him understand but Aaron knew that was an impossibility.

“It’s not like that with Robert, it’s just casual.” That was the lie he was telling himself.

“I know when you’re lying, you’re not good at it. You’ve fallen for this bloke.” Charlie sounded devastated.

“It’s not like anything could happen, he’s my boss and he’s married…to a woman.”

“Remember what happened to Nasir.”

Aaron looked down at his hands. One tragic mistake and it follows him everywhere. It wasn’t like a day went by without him thinking about Nasir.

“You’re not allowed to bring him up, you promised.”

“Promises get broken all the time, you promised to be mine and look at you now. I’m getting help, I thought you should know. I know I’ve not been kind to you in the past. I want to fix that, I wanted us to get married.”

“But why? You didn’t even like me. Everything I did was wrong and messed up everything. Your mates hate me, you parents hate me, and they all think I’m taking advantage of you. I think it’s better this way.”

“You know thinking isn’t your strong suit.”

“It’s things like that, you’re always putting me down.”

“I know, I’m working on it. Please, can’t you give us another try?”

“I need to work on myself and take care of Monty. You always said I was too young for you, maybe this could be a new start for us both.”

“What if…what if I move here. I’ll get my own place and show you that I’ve changed. You don’t have to take me back until I prove it to you and Monty.”

Charlie wasn’t listening to him. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

“I understand.”

“You do?” Aaron asked, hardly believing what he was hearing. He actually expected Charlie to get angry and hit him.

“Yes, I broke the trust we had. I’ll take you back.”

“Ta. I really appreciate it.”

* * *

Robert saw Charlie drop Aaron off, he was glad that Aaron seemed no worse for wear. Chrissie was all over him so he couldn’t go and talk to Aaron about what had happened. She was going on about having a baby again.

“When did you get so broody?” he asked.

“It’s not like I have that many years left ahead of me.”

“I was talking to Aaron. He said that he and his wife froze embryos because she wanted Monty to have siblings. Maybe that’s something we can look into, then we don’t have to rush.”

“I don’t see the reason for us to do that. I had no trouble with my pregnancy with Lachlan. I’m healthy and under forty and we can naturally have kids. Those options are good for people that need the help, we don’t.”

“I’m just not ready for kids, Chrissie.”

“Even Peter Pan has to grow up sometime.”

“No, he doesn’t, that’s the whole point of Neverland.”

Chrissie rolled her eyes, turned and left. He counted that as a win. He couldn’t see settling down with a baby right now. There were just too many things he wanted before that, attending Lawrence’s funeral would be first on the list. His father-in-law was making trouble again. Lawrence had the help of Katie; Andy thankfully wanted no part of it. It wasn’t the right time to be bringing a child into this. He knew that no matter if he and Chrissie had a child, his father-in-law would think he was after their money, which of course he was. But he deserved it, he had gotten most of the large accounts for Lawrence when he was in sales.

Now that Chrissie was gone, he made his way over to Aaron’s flat. He knew Aaron was alone because JR still had Monty. That meant he could talk to Aaron and see how he was without him being worried Monty would hear.

Aaron answered after one tap on the door.

“Thought you’d never get here,” Aaron said, pulling Robert into a kiss. This was not the reception he was expecting.

Robert not really one to let someone control him, pushed Aaron against the door after he shut it. Shock went threw him when Aaron fought for control of the kiss. Just when he was about to fight back, his brain kicked in. Aaron had just left at best an angry confrontation with his abusive, controlling ex. Aaron hadn’t told him any of this but he could figure it out. Aaron needed this control, so Robert didn’t fight him on it.

Usually, they didn’t risk it when others were home, but Robert couldn’t say no to Aaron and it had nothing to do with whatever happened today. Aaron was like his drug.

Just as they entered the bedroom, Aaron’s mobile dinged from a message. “Do you need to check that?” Robert asked, already undressing.

“Could be JR about Monty, one sec,” Aaron grabbed up the mobile and checked. Aaron texted something back. “He just wanted to know if it was alright for them to have tea with mum.”

“Are you alright with that?”

“Yeah, she’s doing better now that Bradley is gone.”

Robert had noticed that too, she was more the woman Robert remembered before he left. He remembered a brash woman that was on the flirty side. She wasn’t the same when he returned but she was already with Bradley. Since Bradley’s untimely death, she’s been doing quite well.

“Where were we then?”

* * *

Robert left not long after their tryst. He couldn’t risk being caught out by Lawrence or Chrissie. Aaron knew it was a risk to be with Robert right under their noses. He just couldn’t help it, being with Robert made him feel normal. Robert wasn’t a good person; he knew that going in. The man cheated on his wife shamelessly, never felt guilty about it and Aaron was fairly sure he was doing some dodgy deals using Home Farm. Aaron had heard about the ring fracas, calling his new/old sister-in-law the village bike, it wasn’t nice. But that was the thing with Robert, he really didn’t try to be nice. Yeah, sometimes he bit his tongue and didn’t row when he wanted but besides charming clients, he was true to himself.

Charlie wore masks, different ones for different people. For his patients, he was the caring, sensitive counselor. For his parents he was the son that could do no wrong. For his mates he was goodtime Charlie. For Aaron, he was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Sometimes he could be so charming and caring but then it was like a switch was flipped and he was cold, mean and violent. The thing was that Aaron didn’t know who he was getting until it was too late to run because Mr. Hyde was exceptionally good at pretending to be Dr. Jekyll.

He dressed, getting ready to head to the put to get Monty. JR had told him he was staying until after Monty’s birthday. Aaron had planned a small party for Monty, but it had grown with JR’s help. He couldn’t stop JR because he knew how guilty he felt about his failure with Izzy. It was creeping him out a little bit with the closeness that JR and his mum had developed. JR was a great bloke, but he wasn’t the sticking around type, same could be said for his mum. Apparently, she cared about this village more than she ever did about him because she had spent more time in it than she ever spent with him.

Someone was standing outside his door when he opened it. It took a moment for him to realize who it was.

“Nick?”

“Hiya, mate. Sorry to drop by like this.”

“What are you doing here? Maggie’s not here, is she?”

“Nah, she’s back home, the baby is due any day now.”

“That didn’t stop her a few days ago.”

“I know, I can’t believe she would risk it. This pregnancy has been so hard on her.”

“Why are you here? If this is about her insane idea about taking Monty from me, she’s more delusional than I thought.”

“No, I told her it was a stupid idea. Any solicitor will have it thrown out without much trouble. This is about Charlie.”

Nick had never been a fan of Charlie; it was always tense at family dos. Because JR worked so much Izzy had been close to her extended family, Maggie especially. Izzy had considered Maggie like her sister, it’s why it hurt her so much when Maggie didn’t visit when she was dying. So many nights she cried while he tried to get Maggie to visit. In her last months it was only him, Monty and JR. Aaron was sure it was the longest JR had stayed in one place. She had died one overcast morning. JR had taken Monty to the park so he could play. The hospice nurse said to expect her to pass away soon. Izzy had slipped into a coma-like state the night before.

He had Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home playing in the background. He never really did get science fiction shows and movies, but Izzy loved them. Star Trek being her favorite and Montgomery Scott aka Scotty being her favorite. When she had told him, she was naming Monty after a fictional character he just rolled his eyes. She had told him once that the characters had been her friends. When he asked why she liked such on old show when there were newer shows, even of Star Trek. She laughed and said her nanny considered anything made after the seventies to be too corrupt.

He was holding her hand just talking about Monty’s favorite new word, Fucker. JR cursed so much that Monty had many words to pick from. Her chest had been raising and falling, the oxygen cannula and machine running, a sound he still hears in his head. Then she wasn’t breathing anymore. It wasn’t unexpected and she wasn’t in pain, but he cried like a baby. She had been his family and he would miss her. JR came home just after that, seeing Aaron’s face he knew what had happened. He took Monty to his room to put him down for his nap. They sat in silence as they waited for the hospice nurse to arrive and start the process.

“Earth to Aaron,” Nick said, snapping his fingers in front of Aaron’s face.

“Soz, was a million miles away. What did you say?”

“You’re getting the full estate, it’s to be released to you tomorrow. Maggie and Catherine have tried everything they had but Rick was smarter and more ruthless than they gave him credit for. He wanted you to have the money, I don’t know if it’s because he wanted Monty to be taken care of for life or you. It’s really none of my business. The old man did like his fun a little on the young side.”

“Do you have a point to make?” He really didn’t want to go on about his relationship with Rick.

“No, not really. All of this really made Mags a little out of her head. What she did wasn’t malicious.”

“What? What did she do?”

“You know we’ve been trying to have a baby. Every egg they were able to harvest from her wasn’t viable. I told her we could adopt or get an egg donor. She got it into her head that she had to have a baby that was her blood, even if it wasn’t a close relation.”

“So, she got one of her cousins to donate?”

“They were all too old or refused. But then she remembered there were perfectly good embryos just in storage.”

“She had embryos froze. Why didn’t you use them before?”

“They weren’t ours.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I think you do. She just wanted a baby so much. She only took two embryos; you still have four more.”

So many thoughts started going through his head, warring with each other. “Are you saying she stole our embryos and had them implanted? The baby she is carrying is Izzy and mine? How…how? There is like so much security there.”

“I was your solicitor at the time, remember? It was easy to get the information I needed and get access. They thought I was you.”

Betrayal. It was a familiar burn, but he was still shocked by it. Nick had always been good to him. He had even gone against Maggie when she tried to take over planning the funeral. She wanted to make it some kind of tacky occasion. Izzy was a simple white carnations kind of girl.

“Why are you telling me this? Why now?”

“The baby is ours; Maggie has carried her and loved her every day. When she’s born, our names will go on her birth certificate. I just couldn’t in good faith not tell you. You’ll have no part of her life and she won’t know about you, but I know that sooner or later you’ll want another child. You’ll see there are only four embryos instead of six. I didn’t want you making trouble in the future.”

“None of this is legal.”

“Maggie has all the rights, she is carrying the baby and here, that’s all that matters.”

“But you stole her, it’s no different from opening a window and stealing her out of a bed.”

“She wouldn’t exist without Maggie,” Nick said, his face getting red and splotchy.

“No, she wouldn’t exist without Izzy and me.”

“Look mate, I was just letting you know. I don’t want this to come and cause trouble a few years down the line. The baby is ours now, you technically have no right to her. There was no surrogacy contract.”

“I don’t understand. Why tell me now?” His mind was racing.

“Like I said, I don’t want this to come up later.”

Aaron shook his head. “No, it’s more than that. This was the plan, right? You both knew there was no chance to get Monty but pretending to be me, getting the embryos, that you could. Let me guess, if I sign over the estate, I get the baby.”

The smile on Nick’s face was cruel. Aaron at one point in his life actually liked Nick. He had been a stand-up bloke when everything with Rick’s estate was going down. Aaron had wanted to keep him as his solicitor with that whole thing, but JR had said it was better to have someone who’s specialty was estate law. He also thought that non-family should be his counsel because there was too many things that could be manipulated, now Aaron saw he was right. How could he have been so wrong on someone’s intentions?

“No, you give up a substantial payout and maybe, we’ll let you see photos of her, and you’ll get updated about her life. She is our daughter.”

“Alright.”

“You’ll give us the payout?” Nick seemed shocked.

“No. She’s your daughter, I understand. Because of that I think it’s best that I don’t even see photos of her. Monty and any other children I have by my own choice will be left with the estate. You may be greedy bastards but even I know how much you wanted a child. The funny thing is, if you would have asked her when she was sick and dying, forgoing the much-needed pain medication so her eggs would be healthy, she would have donated some of her eggs to you and Maggie. She loved Maggie and wanted her to have a family. She asked me several times if she should offer. I told her that if you wanted, you would ask. All this to steal our embryos when you could have used the eggs, she had stored just in case Maggie ever needed them.”

“Wait what?”

“Yeah, there were four eggs harvested that weren’t fertilized, they were kept at a different facility. She told me that if Maggie ever needed them that I could offer them. She was going to tell Maggie when she was dying but Maggie never came around. I know you’ll take care of this baby. I hope she has the best life. Now please leave and never show your face here again.”

He slammed the door on Nick’s still shocked face and crumbled to the floor. It was a lie, having a child out there he wouldn’t ever get to know. He could take them to court, but he knew what would happen. Nick would take the blame; Maggie would say she thought Nick went through a service for the embryos. He didn’t have a chance to get his daughter back. The only saving grace was he knew with as despicable people they were they would treat her well…at least that’s what he was telling himself.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING NON-CON of a incapacitated individual mentioned.

Monty was all smiles at the party. Aaron laughed when every so often the lad would walk over to the present table and start petting the gifts. Marlon had made an amazing cake, decorated to look like a giant Lego, it was a great day. Earlier he had gone into Leeds to work out the estate. There were tons of stipulations and things he had to perform but none were impossible. The biggest one was he wasn’t allowed to sell or give away the assets until Monty’s twenty-fifth birthday. That was alright with him since Monty would be getting it anyway. The company had its higher ups and didn’t need him. Also, there were several accountants to keep eyes on everything. Rick was a very untrusting person it seemed, but he had made it, so Aaron really didn’t have to do anything with it until he wanted. Which would be never because corporate life never seemed a good mix with him. If it weren’t for Izzy and JR, he wouldn’t have been anywhere close to the office when he met Rick.

He had hired a solicitor to take care of the fertility lab. That was after he had the embryos moved and for good measure had Izzy’s eggs moved from their facility too. He couldn’t trust that Maggie wouldn’t try to get the rest now that he knew. He still wasn’t sure why Nick came to him. Aaron knew Maggie and Nick both wanted the baby. Maybe he was telling the truth, he didn’t want it to come out in a few years when the baby was bigger. He didn’t know and didn’t care. That was a lie, but he wouldn’t be forced into doing anything…not anymore.

The day he left his job was hard. It hadn’t even been planned, even though Charlie had been after him to quit. His contract was coming up to an end and he was supposed to renegotiate. After Izzy got sick someone else took over. He hadn’t ever liked Nasir but didn’t have a bad working relationship until he was his boss. Nasir didn’t think Aaron deserved his job, he didn’t but that wasn’t Nasir’s business. While he wasn’t a great office manager, he did a competent job, but Nasir was always waiting for him to mess up. It was working on his nerves and he couldn’t even complain to Charlie because he wanted him to quit.

* * *

_“Come on Aaron, smile for the camera,” Niles’ said._

_Aaron moved away from the camera, towards two other men._

_“You aren’t being nice to our guests,” Charlie, holding the camera, said._

_“Please, Charlie, not tonight,” Aaron said, sitting at the kitchen table._

_“Monty is with his grandfather, this is our night,” Charlie said._

_“I just don’t feel like this tonight,” Aaron told him._

_“You chickened out last time, it is my birthday,” Charlie said._

_“It doesn’t feel right,” he said._

_“Baby, we’ll make it feel real right,” Thom said from the other side of the room._

_“We’re only waiting for one more person than we can start,” Charlie said._

_Just then someone knocked on the door. Thom opened it, revealing a handsome older man with darker complexion than everyone else in the room._

_“Mr. Hafeez, what are you doing here?” Aaron asked._

_“What, can’t your boss come to visit you?” Charlie asked._

_“I don’t understand. Do you two know each other?” Aaron asked._

_“Not really, but let’s say I recognized him,” Charlie said. “Anyway, now that we’re all here. Let’s have some fun.”_

_The camera spanned the room as most of the occupants started to strip down._

_“Aaron, you have to take your kit off too,” Milo said._

_“No. I’m going to JR’s tonight.” Aaron looked towards the camera, but his eyes were looking a little to the left. “You can do whatever you want, Charlie, but I don’t want this.”_

_“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Well, just have some drinks and have some fun…with our kits on,” Charlie said. Everyone put their clothes back on and the screen when dark._

_The screen lit up again and everyone was nude, including Aaron. He had a faraway and dazed looked on his face but he was smiling. His body was pressed against Milo, who had his hands all over him._

_“What did you give him?” Nasir Hafeez asked._

_“It’s a little cocktail I’ve been working on. It makes Aaron a bit more…negotiable.”_

_“I guess being in your field, you can get the good drugs,” Milo said kissing down Aaron’s neck._

_“Aaron, why don’t you show your boss how happy you are he’s here,” Charlie said, zooming the camera in on Aaron’s face._

_Aaron nodded and headed towards Nasir, dropping to his knees._

_“Where did he get all the scars? Was he in an accident?” Nasir asked._

_“Aaron did those. Let’s not talk about it,” Charlie said._

Charlie had watched the video over and over again. Blokes taking turns with his boyfriend. Aaron being more than willing at the time. It didn’t matter if he was drugged, it just made him do what he already wanted. This way, Charlie was in control of the cheating, he knew Aaron would do it sooner or later. All his exes had cheated on him. He had been testing out the cocktail for the past few months. Aaron was always more pliable with the drugs.

When Aaron’s boss tried to force himself on Aaron at the office, he found out that there was a reason Charlie drugged Aaron. While Charlie was stronger than Aaron, his boyfriend’s fight-or-flight response was dangerous. Charlie knew that and that was why he had him in the right headspace when he started to train him. Aaron fought back the once, he learned never to do that again. It wasn’t the broken arm that stopped Aaron from fighting back, even though that’s what the younger man still thinks. No, it was the subtle hints at what would happen to Monty if they found out about Gordon. Charlie might have lied a bit about the statistics for abuse victims becoming abusers. It was easy after that to get Aaron to understand, without him watching over Aaron, he would have to tell the police that Aaron was a risk to Monty. Aaron never put up a fight again, not a real one.

But Nasir didn’t have that type of control over Aaron. Aaron has several triggers that put him back in that room as a little boy. Nasir telling Aaron he had been naughty was one, it didn’t help he was trying to push Aaron down. Aaron hit out blindly and Nasir went down. Nasir didn’t die, nor could he go to JR and complain. When Charlie invited Nasir over for their little party, he thought Aaron would quit just because he couldn’t stand to be near him again, but Aaron stuck it out. Nasir harassed Aaron for a little while until Aaron went to Nasir’s wife and told her what went on between them. Aaron had only vaguely remembered the night of the party, but Charlie was nice enough to let him watch the video. Aaron had shown her stills of the video. Three days later Nasir killed his wife before killing himself. It was perfect after that; Aaron’s guilt was glorious.

The DVD wasn’t the only video he had made of Aaron. He popped the DVD out and put it away in its case and looked around. The flat was a bit smaller than he wanted but there wasn’t tons of options in the little village of Emmerdale. He wondered how long it would take for Aaron to find out he moved. Aaron thought he was getting away but only Charlie could end things, not Aaron. Once everyone found out about Aaron’s secrets it would be easy to get him away. Maybe he would be able to finally get rid of the brat now too. After all, Aaron’s mother could take care of Monty now. Hell, Aaron’s father could take custody of Monty, he didn’t care.


	12. Chapter 12

It had been a few days since Monty’s birthday and the world hadn’t ended. Aaron made sure all the money and assets were protected and that was that. He wasn’t touching any of it, it was Monty’s inheritance. The money made him feel dirty, knowing at least partly why Rick left it to him. Lawrence didn’t seem to be rushing to kick him out so that was a plus. He would stick to the plan; save money he earned and get a place for him and Monty.

JR had left the day before, something about windsurfing in Bali. Aaron was never sure what stories JR told were true and what were made up, he really didn’t care either because it was all in good fun.

The pub was full when he got there, Monty jumping around at his side. He probably shouldn’t be taking his child in the pub so much but it being the only place he could see his mum and Monty see his grandmother, it was something he had to do. His mum worked too much for her own good.

“All right, luv?” his mum asked when she noticed him.

“All right.”

“How’s my favorite grandson?” she asked Monty.

“I’m your only grandson,” Monty said with a giggle.

“Oh right,” she said smiling at him.

“Why don’t you go get us a table,” he told Monty. Monty skipped off, looking over each empty table.

“Mum, could you watch Monty for the week?”

“What?” Shock evident on her face, he knew why. Ever since the Bradley thing it had been tense with them. But she wasn’t acting like an insane grandmother anymore.

“I know it’s short notice, but I’ve got to go with Robert to Manchester for the week.”

“What’s going on?”

“There is some stuff that came up with the estate that Monty’s great-grandfather left us. I don’t know much about anything like that and can only trust words of strangers. Robert knows a lot about business, and I hoped he could look things over for me. Just to make sure things are on the up and up.”

“Oh, right. Are you sure Robert’s the best choice? Maybe see if Rishi or Jai would go with you. They know loads about businesses.”

“I don’t know them. I feel more comfortable with Robert, alright?”

“Alright, but I can’t watch Monty as much as I would love to, I have a pub to run. I can’t leave it all to Diane.”

“I understand.”

He would usually just take Monty with him, but he was going on a school trip to the Children’s Museum and Monty was so excited about it. Marlon was going through trouble with Laurel. Zak and Lisa were having worse with Belle. Because of that Sam was doing more for them all and Aaron couldn’t ask him while he was gone.

“I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you ask Cain?”

“What?” He couldn’t think of anything else he didn’t want to do more.

“I know he’s not what you would think as the nurturer type, but he’ll return Monty in next to perfect condition,” she said with a laugh.

Maybe because it was his own childhood, but he had issues leaving Monty with people he barely knew. Since he had come to Emmerdale he had barely spoken to Cain, it hadn’t gotten better when Cain hit him.

“I don’t know,” he said hesitantly.

“Cain is rough around the edges but if you leave him to look after Monty, you’ll not find a better protector.”

“Alright, I’ll ask but he’ll probably say no.”

“He’ll say yes if he knows what’s good for him.”

* * *

Cain couldn’t believe he agreed to this, he wouldn’t have if his sister hadn’t threatened him with grievous bodily harm.

“Uncle Cain, can I eat this?” Monty asked, holding up an apple.

“What do I care?”

“Cain,” Moira chided. “Go on, luv,” she told Monty.

“I need you to watch him today,” Cain told her.

“Not so fast, I’ve got farm work to do, I can’t have a lad underfoot the whole day. You agreed to watch him, he’s yours for the week.”

Monty looked up at Cain and he sighed. “When is my dad coming back?”

Since Cain had only been watching Monty for three hours and already, he was wanting his dad, it seemed to be a failure.

“Come on, we’ve got things to do.”

“Can I bring my apple?”

“Why not.”

“I’m hungry,” Monty whined.

“You’ve just eaten an apple.”

“That was ages ago.” It wasn’t, it was only an hour ago.

“Fine, we’ll go into the café and get you something.”

“Yay!”

Cain rolled his eyes; it was hard to believe this child was his sullen nephew’s. He’s sure he’s heard more from Monty in one day than he’s ever heard from Aaron in his whole life.

“If it isn’t my favorite customer,” Bob greeted them.

“What?” Cain asked.

“Not you,” Bob said before looking at Monty. “Let me guess, you want a bacon sandwich?”

“Uh huh.”

The door opened and Marlon and April came in. Monty squealed, it hurt his ears a bit.

Monty and April sat down by the window together. Marlon came and sat beside him.

“How did you end up with Monty?”

“Aaron asked me, and I said yes.”

“You mean you’re too scared of your sister to say no.”

“I’ve seen her take down a seventeen stone bloke and not break her nails.”

“I remember that, she was also six months along with Aaron if I recall.”

“That bloke shouldn’t have called her fat.”

The door opened again but he didn’t look up until he heard Monty cry out. When he looked up it was just enough time for Monty, pulling April with him, to run and put himself and her in between him and Marlon. He looked at the bloke that just came in and saw he didn’t know him. It was uncommon for strangers to come into the village.

“Don’t let him get me,” Monty cried.

“What’s going on?” he asked the boy.

“I don’t want to go with him. He’s bad.”

“Do you know him?” Cain asked. The stranger hadn’t moved from the door, he was staring at Monty and it was starting to creep Cain out.

“That’s Charlie, he’s dad’s not boyfriend anymore.”

Cain looked at the bloke again. “He’s my age.” Not that he really could judge on things like that.

“He’s bad. Don’t let him get me.”

The stranger turned and walked out the door. There was something very off about him.

“Why is he bad?” Cain asked.

“He hurt me. Dad called the police, but they didn’t make him go away. That’s when we came here.”

People who abuse children were one thing he couldn’t stand. His childhood being knocked around by Shadrach was no way to live. Just thinking about that big bloke knocking around a small lad like Monty made him see red.

“Marlon, can you look after Monty?”

“Yeah.” He exchanged a look with Marlon both knowing what needed to happen.

He left the café and looked around for the bloke. He saw him going into David’s Shop, he followed him in.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“I’m not looking for any trouble. I’m just here to help Aaron.”

“He doesn’t need any help from a child abuser.”

“Monty just doesn’t want to get his dad into trouble. I wasn’t the one that hit Monty that night, it was Aaron. It was an accident, Aaron pushed me, and I pushed back. Monty came in and tried to get in between us. Aaron didn’t mean to hit him, I know it.”

“That’s bull, Monty said you’re the one that hurt him.”

“Like I said, he’s protecting his father. If you don’t believe me, there is a police report.”

* * *

“It looks like we won’t have to stay the whole week,” Robert said as they entered the hotel room.

“That’s good, I didn’t like how Monty sounded when I last talked to him.”

“You make Chrissie look like an absentee parent. He’s with your family, they haven’t lost a child yet…well not permanently.”

“Not helping.”

“Sorry. How about we make best of this wonderfully upgraded room. Then we can go down to the spa.”

“No ta.”

Robert laughed at Aaron’s horrified face. Aaron really wasn’t the spa and relaxation type of bloke, but Robert was, and he was getting a spa treatment.

“Get on the bed,” Robert said, stalking towards Aaron.

“I need to shower; I smell like disinfectant and office cubicles.”

“You can shower afterwards.”

“Have you ever thought you have an issue with your libido?”

Robert laughed and started to strip. “There’s nothing wrong with my libido, want me to show you?”

“See right there, you’re sex mad.”

“What can I say, you make me that way.”

Aaron shook his head but smiled and drew Robert into a kiss. Soon they would be back in reality and hiding but here they didn’t have to hide. Robert had helped Aaron understand what was going on with the businesses he had acquired, and they were able to spend some time alone. Times like these, Robert felt free, free from people’s idea about who he should be and the whole lot.


	13. Chapter 13

Aaron watched as Charlie walked out of the pub. When he and Robert got back to the village, Cain confronted him. Asking if he had hit Monty. Aaron couldn’t explain, he physically couldn’t talk once he found out that Charlie was now living in the village. Robert had told Cain as much as he knew, and all Aaron could do was nod his head like an idiot. He didn’t think Cain believed Robert, but he hadn’t tried to stop Aaron when he took his son back.

On the other side of things, Monty seemed to be a huge fan of his great uncle Cain now. He chatted endlessly as Aaron tried to get him to sleep. Apparently, Monty now believed Cain was some kind of superhero in disguise, mostly because of how secretive Cain was.

Charlie had yet to seek him out again, but Aaron caught him just staring at him several times. It made him jumpy and he made sure Monty was never alone, not even for a moment.

The most surprising thing happened two days after his trip. Lawrence asked if he would like to actually learn how to run a business. He would basically be interning for Lawrence and learning all the things that went into running a business. Aaron had no want to go back to school and Lawrence said it wasn’t necessary, you hire the brains to work the numbers and such. He already had people running the businesses but this way in a few years he would be able to know what they were talking about. And this way, it really would-be something Monty would want, not forced into. He would see his dad actually doing something, not aimless. It had taken Lawrence, Robert and Chrissie to convince him that it was a good plan. He knew they were right, he couldn’t just flounder for the rest of his life.

There was also his newest employees that Robert, Chrissie and Lawrence had insisted on. Robert convinced Aaron he needed to tell him about Charlie. Aaron admitted, even though it secretly killed him on the inside, to Charlie being abusive to him in the past and injuring Monty, the reason they left. He had also let Chrissie and Lawrence know so they could step up security.

Robert also talked him into using some of the money he was left, it was more than anyone needed in two-hundred lifetimes. Aaron bought Wylie’s Farm from under Andy and Katie when they started haggling on price. Aaron knew it was because Robert really didn’t want to sell to his brother and sister-in-law. Lawrence had used it as a bargaining chip to get Katie to break up Robert’s marriage. Lawrence and Chrissie had been more than willing to break allegiance with them to sell to Aaron. Robert had told him it was because once Aaron knew the business, Lawrence hoped that Aaron would partner up or invest. Aaron didn’t care which, this way he could give Monty a real home. One that they wouldn’t get kicked out of or run away from. In a few short months they would have their own home, Monty was already begging him for a dog and a turtle. He wondered how long “I’ll think about it” will keep him at bay before he has him at pet stores.

Now that Charlie wasn’t in the pub anymore, he could go in. Cain had told everyone who Charlie was, so it wasn’t like he was on everyone’s Christmas card list, but they didn’t despise him like Robert and the Whites did. He really started to like the Whites which made his affair harder with Robert. If he were a stronger person, he would be able to break it off with him.

“Luv, I’m glad you’re here. I want to take Monty into Harrogate to see Harlow Carr.”

“Flowers?”

“Yes, he likes colours and pretty things. Not everyone dresses completely in black. I think it would help for him to know there is such a thing as a colour wheel.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said.

“When you were little you loved to wear cute, bright clothes. Then when I saw you after I left, every time the clothes were a little darker, a lot bulkier. I don’t understand. I guess it’s something the kids do, when I was younger it was about wearing less clothes.”

“When you were younger?” Marlon asked skeptically.

“Oh, shush you.”

“Not that it’s any of my business but who is that?” Zak asked pointing at the bloke that just sat in the corner, staring at Aaron but also seemingly watching everything going on around him.

“Who?” Aaron asked innocently.

“Him,” Marlon pointed to the bloke.

Aaron did his best not to laugh. When Robert brought up this idea, he thought it was insane. He liked the Monty part but not this one. But even he had to admit that it terrified him for Charlie to get him alone. He seemed to always be watching…waiting.

“Out with it,” his mum demanded.

“Fine. Z, can you come here,” he said to his shadow.

Z stood up and walked towards them, even Aaron could feel the chill of the bloke’s glare.

“This is Z, because of the inheritance and some other things, it has been brought to my attention that this was a necessary action. I’ve hired Z and his business partner X to watch my back during the day. They only work until I get back home and then there is a security system around me.”

“I almost forgot you’re a billionaire,” Paddy said.

“I’m not. Think of it more like I’m a place holder. But killing me would be a windfall to someone.” He wouldn’t tell anyone who he left control of the fortune until Monty’s old enough. So far Sam would take Monty with monthly support from his inheritance, but Aaron wouldn’t tell who the executor of his will is, not even to that person yet.

“I guess that’s a good idea but what’s with the Men in Black names?” his mum asked.

Truthfully, it was just what the blokes wanted him to refer to them by, they were also secretive but came with glowing references. Z is a former SAS soldier who was quite frankly terrifying. He spoke less than Aaron did and moved quietly most of the time. X was the complete opposite of Z; he was loud and outgoing but tried to keep it down when working. X’s past was a big question mark because most of his paperwork was classified and blacked out. Z was about six foot tall with dark hair and some colour eyes, Aaron hadn’t really seen them because he squinted so much. X was about six-six with a close crop black hair and green eyes. He was a giant, but Aaron would pick having him following him over Z because Z looked like he could kill with a look.

“It’s just what they want to be called.”

He planned for it only to be a few months while the farmhouse was fixed. There was no way he would have men following him for the rest of his life.

Also, because of his shadows he would have to be more cautious of his relationship with Robert.

The door to the pub opened and Monty came skipping in. Stepping in with him was his new child minder. She was five-four, blue eyes, blonde hair and a bright smile. She was also an MMA title champ and the best security detail he could find for a six-year-old little boy. In the beginning she had been offended that he offered her the job of protecting Monty and not him. He didn’t know how but she figured out he wouldn’t trust men he didn’t know with his son. Sexist yes, but he had scars to prove the damage an angry bloke could do. He knew women could be just as dangerous and violent but, in his experience, they were just apathetic.

“Dad look what Shell got me,” Monty said holding up a book.

“You took him to the library, you didn’t have to do that,” he said. She got paid more than his bodyguards because she did have to watch Monty and make sure he didn’t walk into traffic and what not.

“It’s no problem, might as well make the best of it. I don’t think I’d be able to live if we had to stay in one place. Well, here he is in one piece, I’m off the clock for the night. See you tomorrow,” she said, waving goodbye.

After she left, some of the males in the pub couldn’t stop talking about her.

“She’s fit,” Ross Barton said. Aaron rolled his eyes; he didn’t care for Ross, but he did think his brother Finn was alright.

“I wouldn’t mind her taking care of me,” Rodney said.

Aaron felt extremely grossed out and was ready to leave when the door opened again. It was Charlie. Why had he come back?

Z who had started to back into the shadows again was now next to Aaron, waiting.

“Aaron, can I speak with you outside?” Charlie asked, manners on point.

“No.”

“Aaron, please,” Charlie asked, his voice low.

“Alright. Monty, stay with Uncle Zak, don’t leave his side.”

“Don’t go,” Monty cried, grabbing Aaron’s hand.

“Stay,” Aaron said, making sure Monty knew he was serious. He had to deal with Charlie now or he would be looking behind him the rest of his life.

Monty nodded and let go of his hand, crawling up on Zak’s lap.

Aaron stepped outside and could feel Z’s eyes on him as he followed.

“Alright, talk,” Aaron demanded, taking a seat at one of the outdoor tables.

“I wanted to speak in private,” Charlie said looking over Aaron’s shoulder.

“He’s paid to never leave me alone, talk now or never,” Aaron told him.

“I moved here so we could try and get back together but with Monty spreading lies about me, people think I’m a child abuser.”

“You did hit him.”

“We’ve been over this.” Charlie took a step closer.

“I wouldn’t be getting too close,” Aaron warned. For the first time in a long time, he wasn’t scared. He knew without a doubt if Charlie got within arms reach of him, Z would tackle him. Robert had made sure that Z, X and Shell knew about Charlie. “This is the last time I’m going to speak to you. I don’t want you and I don’t need you.”

“I’ll tell everyone about you and your married man.”

“Go ahead, I’ll tell everyone what you are.” He was bluffing, big time.

“You wouldn’t. You don’t want everyone looking at you…knowing. Gordon. You would hate for everyone to find out about Gordon.”

Aaron was proud that he didn’t flinch at the name. “I’m an adult, I’m not in danger of Gordon anymore. If you open your mouth about something, I told you while I was your patient, I’ll have you struck off and you’ll lose everything.”

“What?”

“I’m not stupid, you just think I am. I know if you tell anyone about anything, I told you as a patient, that is misconduct. You tell, I tell.” Aaron stood up from the table and turned around, he wasn’t going to waste another moment with Charlie.

One moment Z was in front of him the next he was tackling Charlie who was behind him.

“I told you not to get too close,” he said, looking down at Charlie. His stomach was too the ground with arms behind him with Z’s knee in his back.

“Let me up! Tell this bastard to let me up,” Charlie demanded.

“You’ll leave me and Monty alone.” Aaron said.

“I have videos of you, did you forget?” Charlie asked, his face in a cruel sneer.

“I have the originals, unedited. Remember that,” Aaron said. “Let him up. Go away and never come back.”


	14. Chapter 14

He was so close to having his own home…a real home. The closest he had was when he was with Izzy before Charlie forced him into leaving it. He could breathe again but he didn’t know the real reason for it. His mum thought it was the bodyguards but that wasn’t it. Cain assumed it was because Charlie had disappeared, he had gone home which did make Aaron happy but that wasn’t it. Robert assumed it was because they were hot and heavy every chance they had, that wasn’t it. In fact, that gave him extreme anxiety, he hated hurting Chrissie. Chrissie had helped him out as much as Robert, probably more because she never wanted anything in return.

There was no way X and Z didn’t know about him and Robert. X didn’t seem to have a problem with him, but Z always looked fuming every time Aaron and Robert were alone in a room together. He never said anything about it but that wasn’t his way.

“Aaron, can you come here for a moment?”

He looked up from the contract that Lawrence had him looking over to Chrissie. “Huh?”

“Come here,” she said, waving at him to come to her desk.

Usually when he was at work Z and X were off but today, he had a few errands to run so Z was there, in the corner like a statue. Robert and Lawrence were off at a conference for a few days. Robert had tried to make it seem that Aaron needed to go, and Lawrence didn’t, but Monty wasn’t feeling well so Aaron told him there was no way he could.

He walked over to her desk and looked at her laptop, she was pointing at something on the screen.

“What am I looking at?”

“A paternity suit.”

“What?”

“A woman in Hotten is saying that Robert is her unborn baby’s father.”

All Aaron wanted to do was run away and never look back. He kept his face blank as he looked at the email from this woman.

“I don’t get it. If she says Robert is her baby’s father, why did she email you and not him?”

“Apparently, she has, but he hasn’t gotten back to her. I can’t believe he’s cheating…no, I can believe it. I feel so dumb right now.”

Aaron looked over to Z, the older man was looking at Aaron with contempt. He was getting really tired of Z’s holier than thou attitude.

“Maybe you should talk to Robert about this,” he said awkwardly.

“I need to ask you something. While you were Robert’s PA did you see Robert with any women?”

“No.” Over Chrissie’s shoulder he could see Z’s shake his head with derision. “Don’t believe some unknown person who somehow got your email. Talk to your husband.”

“Right.” She grabbed her mobile and left the office.

“You have something to say?” he asked Z.

“You’re running around with your best mate’s husband and you have the gall to say you’ve never seen him cheat.”

“She’s not my best mate.”

“Isn’t she? Last time I checked it was you and her that did a pub crawl in Leeds last weekend. I’ve caught you two rowing more than a married couple. You two also go to see those indie bands together. And how many times has she tried to set you up on a date?”

“Yeah, with Finn and then some bloke from Hotten who wore a monocle. If she were really my best mate, she would know both of them aren’t my type.”

“Well, it’s not like you’ve told her your real type.”

“Who I sleep with is none of your business.”

“Fine, if you want to treat yourself like your worthless and only good enough to be a bit on the side, that’s your choice.”

“Shut up.”

Chrissie came back in and seemed hesitant. “I just talked to Robert.”

“That’s good. I’ve got some errands to do,” he said, grabbing a folder he needed to drop off.

“Aaron.”

He had been so close to escape. “Yeah?”

“You would tell me if you knew Robert was cheating, right?” Her face was so earnest, he felt like he was suffocating in the room all of the sudden. The need to escape was overwhelming him. “Please, Aaron, you’re by best friend.”

When had this happened? Oh yeah, because to spend time with Robert at Home Farm he had to spend time with Chrissie. The funny thing was he got along better with Chrissie; she was hilarious after a few shots; she dropped the posh voice too when she was a bit wasted. They both shared single parent stories. She was also one of the only ones in the village that didn’t judge him for Rick. She told him many stories about old geezers hitting on her when she was newly out of business school.

“I’ve never seen him with a woman,” he said honestly. He was sure there had been women, probably still were women but he hadn’t seen them.

“Thank you. Everyone knows you can’t lie. I’m glad you’re my friend.” She kissed him on the cheek and left.

“Don’t even open your mouth,” he said to Z, not wanting to hear what a disgusting person he was. “Take the rest of the night off.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Don’t follow me,” he told Z. Z followed him but didn’t try and talk him out of it when Aaron got in his car and drove away.

He grabbed his mobile and rang Sam.

“Sam, could you take care of Monty until I’m back.”

“Sure. When are you coming back?”

“In my room in the flat is all Monty’s information. It’s got all his records and everything you need. Don’t let anyone else get it or him. I’m counting on you; he needs someone like you. Someone good.”

“Aaron, where are you?” Sam asked in a worried tone. People didn’t give Sam enough credit. Maybe he wouldn’t win a genius award, but he could read people.

“You take care of him. Treat him like he was Samson. Promise. As long as you have him no one can get him. Protect him and rely on Shell.”

“Where are you?” That was Cain.

Aaron disconnected the call and just drove; Sam would protect Monty.

* * *

Robert and Lawrence rushed back to the village when Chrissie rang them. He was still worried about the woman contacting Chrissie but thankfully she didn’t seem to believe it. Then she rang again, Aaron was in trouble. Aaron left and no one knew where. Chas tried to get Monty from Sam, but Sam didn’t budge, he made Aaron a promise and was sticking to it. It had been a fortnight since Aaron had been seen. Robert had even gone with Z and X to check on Charlie. He laughed when they told him Aaron disappeared and said he hoped he topped himself.

There was no way Robert believed that. Aaron wouldn’t leave Monty forever like that, not after the boy losing his mum. He was terrified of what Aaron was doing to himself because he knew what Aaron did to himself. The cutting when he was on the edge to bring him back was dangerous.

None of Aaron’s credit cards had any hits to it. They had to contact his accountant to check because they were so scared. The accountant said that last charge was for petrol the day he left. All he wanted was Aaron to reach out to any of them. Chas had messaged JR to see if Aaron had reached out to him, he hadn’t. The worst was seeing the devastation on that little boy’s face. The Dingles were trying to cheer him up, but he was a little boy missing his dad.

Chrissie had said he ran out after she asked him if Robert was cheating. He felt a small pang of guilt but knew Aaron felt more. The woman who emailed him was a scammer. He hadn’t been with her in over a year and she was a nut. She couldn’t even get pregnant because she lied to him before on that front. Last year she said she was, and he went to the doctor with her only to find out she had a full hysterectomy years earlier after an illness.

His mobile rang and he looked to see who it was. He hoped it was Aaron, but it was X. X and Z had taken it a part of their responsibility to look for Aaron.

“Yes,” he answered.

“I’ve got him.”

For the first time in a fortnight, he could breathe. “Where was he?”

“He’ll tell you when we get back. Tell Monty we’re bringing his dad home.”

Robert headed over to Wishing Well Cottage where Monty had been since Aaron bunked off. He could hear yelling and giggling from inside the cottage. It took a moment for someone to hear him knock.

Cain opened the door and begrudgingly invited him in. Monty and Samson were running around, playing some game that they only seemed to know.

“Is there news?” Lisa asked, eying the children.

He nodded. “Monty, can you come here?”

Monty stopped running around and stood in front of Robert. “Am I in trouble?” Monty asked.

“No, of course not. I just heard from X, he said that he’s on his way back and he has your dad.”

Monty’s eyes grew. “Really?” he asked excitedly.

“Yes, really.”

“My dad is coming home. My dad is coming home.” Monty was jumping up and down and chanting. Robert was glad he was the one to give the little boy the news. It broke his heart seeing the miserable look on the boy.

Hours later they had a welcoming party ready at the pub. Chas was close to tears because she had been so worried. X had texted that they were twenty minutes out about fifteen minutes ago. Monty was so excited. Robert thought maybe he shouldn’t be in the pub when Aaron came back because they didn’t know the shape, they would be getting Aaron back in.

The door to the pub opened and Z walked in followed by Aaron with X behind him. Aaron was in new clothes, but they were his usual dark clothing.

“DADDY!” Monty yelled and ran for Aaron. Scooping him up, Aaron swung the boy around and gave him a hug.

“I missed you,” Aaron said barely over a whisper to Monty, but Robert heard.

Chas hugged him next and there was a line of people happy to see him back.

“Where were you?” Chas asked the question they all wanted to know.

“I knew I needed help. I signed myself into treatment.”

“Treatment, what treatment?” his mum asked.

“Belle can you take the kids to the back for a while,” he asked.

She looked like she wanted to argue but one look from her mum and she had corralled the kids to the back room.

“There are some things that I haven’t told anyone. Some people know some parts, but no one knows everything. My dad kicked me out when I was sixteen, most of you know that part. There was abuse in the home, I’m not getting into it but leaving was the best thing that ever happened. I met Izzy and she became my family with Monty and JR. You all know I was with Charlie after Izzy died. I’m not going to get into that either but there was abuse there too. I didn’t leave until it affected Monty. But between leaving my dad’s and meeting Izzy, I started cutting. Izzy knew and she helped when she could. After she died it got worse and JR told me to get help or he would get custody of Monty because he didn’t want him finding my body after I went too far. It was the kick that I needed to get help.

“My counsellor was Charlie. He saw someone he could manipulate easily. I got into a relationship that I thought I deserved because he knew all my secrets and used them against me. When I came to the village, I started having an affair with a married man. While I fell for him, I realized it’s just as unhealthy as every other relationship I’ve been in.”

“That’s why you ran after we spoke. I made you feel bad about this married man. I’m sorry I let my insecurity about Robert hurt you,” Chrissie said.

“I needed to hear it. I’m hurting his partner just because I wasn’t strong enough to end it. When I left that night, I holed myself up in a dingy hostel. I started cutting and didn’t stop until the manager called the police. I was given the option to find myself my own treatment or be sectioned. I went with the former. I’ve been getting my head straight since then. Malcolm, my accountant knew, I asked him not to say anything. I’m sorry I scared everyone; I just couldn’t function any longer. I’m better now though, not perfect, it’ll always be a part of me…a battle. Sometimes I may win sometimes I may lose. My new counsellor said to be truthful, find what I was comfortable sharing and share about five percent more than that. I think I went about ten.”

“What about your married man?” Chas asked.

“I’m ending it. Now. It doesn’t make me feel good about myself. I won’t be made to feel wrong anymore. I love him and if he were willing to leave his wife to be with me, I probably would stay with him as bad as that makes me sound and probably is. But he isn’t and I’m tired. My counsellor thinks that I shouldn’t be in any type of relationship for a while. Wiley’s is done so Monty and I will be moving in and getting on with our lives. I’m not going to be answering anymore questions. I want to spend the rest of the night alone with my son. So, I’m going to get him and take him home.” Aaron looked around. “Thank you, Sammy for taking care of him.”

“Like my own,” Sam said smiling at Aaron.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the start of Aaron and Robert not together for a bit. Question. Robron is always my end game but I do love a jealous Robert. Would it be against everything good and holy to have Aaron with someone else for a time?


End file.
